Quintessence
by Fablespinner
Summary: He could only watch helplessly as her world fell down around her, he had promised to be there for her in that moment, he was not. He was bound by ancient magic, he could only come to her via a wish and she wasn't making one! Somebody, make a wish already!
1. Her World Falls Down…

_**Obligatory Disclaimer:**__ This is a work of fanfiction, this means I do not own any of the characters, no matter how much I wish I had His Nibs Jareth, the Goblin King as my own personal cabana boy in tight trousers (and nothing else) bearing peach margaritas and chocolate truffles and singing "It's too Darn Hot" under the citronella filled tiki torches while shaking his money maker around my backyard pool. (Let us pause to appreciate that thought for a moment shall we ladies? Mmm, mental images are such lovely things indeed.) I own nothing but the words in this tale and those aren't worth much. Everything else is © Jim Henson and Company. I'm only borrowing their toys and I'll put them back when I'm finished, only slightly used and abused (And more than likely severely Sexually Harassed)._

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_**Quintessence**_

_**Quintessence**_ _is the most perfect embodiment of something. (In ancient and medieval philosophy) it is the fifth essence or element, ether, supposed to be the constituent matter of the heavenly bodies, the others being air, fire, earth, and water._

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**Chapter 1**

**Her World Falls Down…**

His love for her was quintessential, it had known no equal, could not be shaken, and was debilitating when he could do nothing to help her and only watch in his crystals as her world very literally fell down around her in broken shards that cut her heart into ribbons. He had promised her to be there when her world reached this point; he ached to hold her when she wept, to ease her sorrow, to bring her home.

He needed someone, anyone to make a wish, to open the door between their worlds so he could enter. Even the Goblin King, the mighty Dream Weaver, Protector of the Unwanted was bound by the ancient magic that required a key to open the dimensional doors between worlds. That key for him, took the form of a wish. He could slip into dreams, when mortals hovered between worlds and he could whisper his words of devotion and longing to her sleeping form only to watch in agony as she awoke and the mists of dreams faded and were forgotten. Humans very rarely remembered their dreams and Sarah was no exception.

Her time in his Labyrinth had been relegated to the back of her mind, like the rare dream a mortal remembered because it had been so vivid, so vibrant, so REAL. In most cases those dreams had indeed been real but magic and mortals mixed poorly and the mind, afraid of magic, played tricks on mortal memories. Magic was always banished to the realm of dreams, beautiful memorable dreams.

Sarah clung to the dream like a lifeline. It was her only happiness in a world that was beyond cruel. Her petulance and arrogance at fifteen had been a defense mechanism, a shield to hide the pain she felt in her mundane world. A Mother, so self absorbed in her own world of make believe had abandoned her when she was ten, without so much as a farewell. Her stage career and her affair with Jeremy had been higher up on her list of priorities than her impressionable, loving daughter who had blamed herself when her mother left. It had surely been all her fault, she had done something wrong, like most children, they will find reasons to blame themselves when the adults in their lives hurt them. Sarah, already prone to selfless acts knew beyond all doubt it had been her fault.

Her father hadn't helped to clear up that misconception either. Robert Williams was no saint, knew nothing of raising a daughter on his own, and could hardly bear to look at the little girl who looked like a carbon copy of the woman who had scorned him for another. He threw himself into his work, hired babysitters and disengaged from Sarah emotionally, just when she had needed him the most.

Then had come Karen, the new woman in her father's life. While Sarah had acted out for attention, became melodramatic in hopes her father would notice her, in one area she had not over exaggerated. Karen was the stepmother from hell. She even made Jareth shiver and he was certainly no paragon of righteousness, but where he was devious and cruel and altogether mischievous. Karen was evil, she had a malevolent heart and secretly delighted in Sarah's pain.

She saw in Sarah, Linda, Robert's first wife. She saw a girl who was, even at barely thirteen, beautiful and intelligent and had the potential to go further in life than Karen ever would. She saw Sarah as unwelcome baggage in her marriage. Oh she laid on the drama thick for Robert's benefit. She played the victim to his poor selfish daughter. How she wanted to be a mother to Sarah, she wanted Sarah to like her and poor, poor Karen only was treated like a wicked stepmother.

Boo Hoo.

Robert believed her, scolded Sarah repeatedly and Karen watched the wedge be driven deeper and deeper between father and daughter.

Then the pregnancy and birth of the golden son, every man's fondest dream, a son to carry on his name, a boy, a wonderful boy, at last I have a son, a child to be proud of, it was little wonder Sarah's heart resented the love Toby was showered with, when all she wanted was a little of her father's love too.

She hadn't meant the words, it wasn't Toby she resented, it was her father, it was her mother, it was her life. Toby had just been a convenient target when her emotions had gotten the better of her. She had regretted her words immediately.

Her heart was pure even if pained and filled with sorrow. Her soul was made of sterner stock and Jareth admired her will and her determination and how could he not love a creature who, even though she so desperately wanted to be loved, to feel happiness, she still gave up those dreams for the sake of another.

She was selfless, she was pure, she was the quintessential mortal. She was slowly being destroyed and that in turn was destroying Jareth.

One year to the day, the anniversary of their encounter, Linda Williams died in a plane crash, her charted Cessna crashed almost immediately after take-off and there had been no survivors. Linda had left everything to her long time lover, Jeremy. Not even a trinket left to her daughter to remember her by, Sarah was never even mentioned in the will. Her mother's millions of dollars all left to the man she had left Sarah's father for; there wasn't even a token amount of money for a college fund left to her only child. One more dagger plunged in Sarah's heart. Proof her mother never loved her and she must have been such a terrible daughter to drive her mother's love away to the point she never acknowledged Sarah's existence. Not even her obituary in the newspaper mentioned she was survived by a daughter. Only accolades to her acting career and her long time affair with Jeremy. Sarah was erased from her life as if she had never existed. That hurt most of all.

All Karen had to say in the matter was Linda had finally gotten out of making Child support payments and now Sarah was even more of a burden on her poor father. Sarah was then ordered to go find a part time job to start earning her keep since Linda's checks were no longer going to be coming.

"Really Sarah, you never go out with boys anyway, it's not like you have a social life to lose. Might was well put all your spare time to good use rather than daydreaming. Honestly, you're not normal." Karen had said and Sarah bit her lip and just nodded.

She had given up fighting back with Karen. It never did any good anyway and was exhausting. It took far more effort to be confrontational than to just go with the flow. Karen was right; she didn't have a social life. She didn't have any friends, no boys called on her and no girls either. She went to school, came home and babysat while she did homework. Her life revolved around Toby, the only sunshine in her life. His smiles and his adoration and his toddler hugs around her neck made her life bearable.

There was no doubt he loved her. He was the only person in the world who did and a three-year-old's love was fleeting and Sarah would hold onto it as long as she could. Little did she know another loved her too and longed to show her just how much, he poured over his library looking for ways to break the veil between worlds without a wish as a catalyst. There had to be some way and he would find it, somehow he'd find a way. He'd find a way to do more than just spy on her with his crystals, he'd discover how to reach through them, she needed him.

Things only went from bad to worse, the following year Karen had a paternity test performed on Sarah and it turned out Robert Williams was not Sarah's father. Jeremy wasn't her father either. Linda had cuckolded her husband and whoever Sarah's real father was, he was unknown.

Oh how Karen rejoiced and Robert couldn't even look at Sarah now without being disgusted. For seventeen years he had raised another man's child. All that money wasted on a child that wasn't even his! Sarah was devastated; the man she had known as her father refused to let her even called him anything other than Mr. Williams. Every trinket, every beloved toy, every book, piece of jewelry, all her cherished childhood memories were ripped out of her room. The toys were given to Toby and everything else ended up in the front lawn in a garage sale.

"Really Sarah, it's only right and proper you pay back the man. He gave those things to you thinking you were his; he should recoup at least some of the money he spent on another man's bastard. Be glad he's allowing you to stay under his roof until you turn eighteen. I don't think you could ask for more than that. He's being quite generous really. If I were him, you'd be out on your ear faster than you can blink. As it stands young woman, we'll be discussing the rent you will begin paying for your room and board until you can move out." Karen said as Sarah watched everything she owned apart from her clothes be sold to complete strangers. Every birthday present, every Christmas gift, every cherished spangle and bauble sold to compensate the man who glowered at her every time she entered a room.

Toby just watched, trying to understand why his beloved Sarah cried all the time. Why his mother told him that Sarah wasn't his sister anymore and that he shouldn't love her anymore, he couldn't understand. How did you just stop loving somebody? He loved Sarah more than his own mother. Sarah was more a mother to him than his own was. His mother was always out at parties with his father. It was Sarah who was with him every night, who cooked his dinner, who read him bedtime stories, who tucked him in at night and checked for monsters in his closet. It was Sarah who checked on him in the night when he cried out from bad dreams; it was Sarah who got him up in the morning. How could he stop loving her when she told him every day how much she loved him?

It wasn't right. Now is mother was selling all of Sarah's things, all except the old toys that were now in his room.

Sarah was in her very empty room, crying again. Toby picked up the old stuffed bear Lancelot and trotted into Sarah's room and climbed up on her bed.

"Don't cry Sawah. Here, Rancerot make it better." He said handing Sarah the bear.

"Oh Toby sweetheart, thank you. But Lancelot is yours now; I gave him to you a long time ago. It's all right. I'll be okay." Sarah said sniffling and kissing Toby's brow.

"You're such a good boy Toby. Don't ever change." She said softly, sending Toby back to his room.

Sarah sighed, wiped her eyes, steeled her resolve and a melancholy resignation settled onto her shoulders. She washed her face, got changed and headed to work at the old bookstore downtown. At least there she could lose her worry in work. Smell the wonderful scent of very old books, read stories of Princesses and Kings who had happily ever after to look forward to and forget for a few hours how her own life was anything but happily ever after. She didn't know how much more she could take. Karen wanted to talk about rent; she didn't know how she was going to pay. She already gave Mr. and Mrs. Williams every cent she made working at the bookstore. On Friday afternoon, every week, she came home with her paycheck, endorsed the back, and handed the entire check to Karen.

If that wasn't enough for rent, she didn't know how she was going to make more. Unless she quit high school and got a second job to pay for it and she was so close to graduating now. Just seven more months, it was December; she just had to make it to June. She'd turn eighteen in June too. It would all come to a head then.

After that, Sarah had no idea what she was going to do. College was out of the question, she'd never afford it and things like food, rent and other daily necessities. Life she had learned was anything but fair.

Toby wandered back into his room despondent. He hated when Sarah cried and he knew who was to blame, his parents. He heard them talking, they thought he didn't understand. He didn't understand most of it; words like bastard, slut and whore were lost on him. He did understand that his dad was angry with a wife that was dead. A wife he had before mommy. Sarah's mommy was whom his daddy was mad at. He heard things like "Sue Linda's estate for restitution." Whatever that meant and "I can't stand to even look at her, all I see is that bitch." Which Toby partially understood. Daddy got so angry when he looked at Sarah. Toby couldn't understand what Sarah had done to make daddy so mad. Sarah was always good.

The three year old sighed as he flopped into the pile of stuffed toys in his room. Toys that had been in Sarah's room earlier that morning. Toys Toby didn't want since it made Sarah cry. Toby had tried to make her stop crying, but he guessed he was too little to help. Mommy was always saying things like "When you're older you'll understand." Maybe that meant it took someone older to fix whatever it was that hurt Sarah all the time.

"I wish a grown-up who isn't mad at Sarah would come and make Sarah happy again." Toby sighed and from a Library deep underground a sound of unfettered joy was shouted.

"Toby I could kiss you my lad!" Jareth crowed as he appeared in Toby's room. The toddler looked up with wide eyes.

"Wow! You poofed! Do it again!" Toby squealed in delight as a pretty nifty looking grown-up in weird clothes and wild hair just appeared in his bedroom.

Jareth chuckled and squatted down and pressed his finger on the tot's nose. "Perhaps in a moment my lad. You are growing well indeed young Toby. I always knew you would. I thank you for calling me, I have been wanting to help your sister for a very long time but the stubborn girl won't make wishes. Thank you for making one." Jareth said and Toby smiled.

"Sarah's sad." Toby said and Jareth nodded.

"I know lad. I know. Now at least I can come and go at will, since your wish was nicely vague and help her where I can. Never you fear, I will make her happy again. I promise." Jareth said and in a shower of glitter and fairy dust he vanished.

"SO COOOOOOL!" Toby said in awe as the strange, wild looking man disappeared.

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Jareth didn't go far, in fact he just materialized in Sarah's park she loved so much. He called his goblins to him. "I want you all to track down the items Sarah had taken from her. Find all of her possessions, do not break, drool or chew on anything. Wash your hands and damage nothing. Handle them with great care unless you care to be tipped head first into the Bog of Eternal Stench and take them back to the castle and place them in my chambers. Do not miss a single item is that clear?"

The Goblins made it clear they understood and then vanished in all directions on a scavenger hunt for items that smelled of the Lady Sarah. Jareth smiled and his attire morphed. Gone was the raiment of the Goblin King and replaced by garments suitable for a dapper mortal gentleman dressed for a casual day. Dark charcoal slacks with sleek Italian leather loafers. A deep crimson red sweater with a black turtle neck underneath and topped with a stylish and supple dress leather jacket and gloves in black. His hair tamed and pulled back into a black band at the nape of his neck. He looked dashingly handsome and like a modern day mortal king. There was only so much he was willing to concede after all to blend in with the mortals. He walked casually down the street, his mood lighter than it had been in years. It was time to begin making his love happy. He was going to do it right this time. No games, no damn rules, nothing would impede the wooing of his lady properly. She was no longer too young to keep, too young to understand what he offered. This time the offer would not come at the cost of her brother. He had hated the rules of the game, he knew Sarah would not and could not accept. He'd have not loved her had she forsaken her brother for her own desires. Her refusal only served to make him love her all the more. Her strength of character was noble, she was a queen in spirit and he had every intention of making her a queen in name too.

Then he'd rub Karen's face in it with sadistic glee. He'd watch that vile woman choke on her own avarice and enjoy every single minute of it. She'd pay for every tear Sarah has shed. No Jareth was no saint and he would take perverse pleasure in teaching that woman a lesson in humility. He'd take her son from her too if he could, Toby was better off with Sarah anyway. She was more the child's mother than his own. All it would take was a wish and he was fairly sure Toby could wish himself away with little encouragement. But that was for later, first it was time to reinstate himself into Sarah's life and hope she remembered enough to be drawn to him but not enough to fear him. That Jareth was gladly left behind in the game. It was time she saw the man who loved her and not the Goblin King in all his dreadful glory for a change. No masks, no games, and no rules, Just a man and woman coming together under the same stars.

The little bookstore was nestled in a row of quaint little shops down old Main Street. The Victorian buildings side by side down the old cobblestone road. The bell on the door chimed as Jareth came in from the cold. Sarah was up on a ladder, replacing books on the higher shelves. She was more beautiful than he remembered. She took his breath away every time he looked at her. Her hair a rich chestnut fell long and straight down her back, it was even longer than before and brushed her waist. One side was pulled back in a simple clip to keep it from falling into her eyes, the same clip she had worn in his labyrinth. The same style, just longer, richer, and lovelier. Her body, not much taller, but far more shapelier. Gone was the gangly girl just beginning to blossom into womanhood, now a fully formed, beautiful woman had taken her place. Her Hips were round and firm, a waist narrow and delicate and her breasts, full and ripe and Jareth's hands twitched. He was definitely no saint and his hands itched to grab this creature and show her he meant business, intimate, lustful business. Her eyes were still that mesmerizing sage green, but no longer as bright as they once were, full of defiance and spirit. They were dulled from pain she tried valiantly to hide. He'd make them shine again. "I'll be with you in just a moment." She said to Jareth, as she placed the last book away and began her descent down the ladder.

"Take your time Miss. I am in no rush." Jareth replied and he smirked to himself as he watched her shiver in slight recognition of his voice.

She turned to face him when she reached the floor, her eyes sweeping over him, there a flash of recognition, but gone again as quickly as it came. She almost remembered, but not quite, to her it was still just a dream and Jareth resembled a man she thought did not exist.

"How may I help you sir?" She asked politely moving back behind her counter, to her safety zone.

"I hear you have quite the section on mythology and lore. I admit I am quite interested in that sort of subject matter. Particularly books pertaining to the lesser creatures of fae. Goblins, hobgoblins, sprites and the like. Do you have anything you might recommend?" Jareth asked and he watched the glimmer in her eyes. Wariness coupled with her insatiable curiosity, he had piqued her interest despite her misgivings in his appearance.

"A subject I like too. Here, follow me." Sarah said smiling and leading him to the back corner of the shop where she began pulling books off the shelf and setting them on a nearby table for his inspection. He feigned interest just to keep her near. She smelled like white lilies and pears. Her soap was as fresh as she was. He was about to drown in his own drool if he wasn't careful.

"You are impressive. You know your lore young woman." He complimented as he inspected the books.

"It is a passion of mine. When I was younger I used to pretend to be every heroine in every book I read. My favorite was a little script called the Labyrinth. It was about a girl and a Goblin King. Oh I used to dream he was real and that book sparked my love of all things fantastical. I'm still that little dreamer at heart I suppose. In fantasy you can escape the mundane and dream. If just for a few minutes before bed, the world can be full of magic in a book." She said and Jareth smiled at her.

"Indeed. But who's to say magic is only in books? Who's to say your Goblin King isn't real? In every legend there is at least a basis in fact, however small. There is always a kernel of truth in myth." Jareth said and Sarah smiled wistfully at him.

"I used to think so." Sarah said sadly and Jareth looked deeply into her eyes.

"What changed your mind?" He asked, knowing the answer but needing her to voice it aloud.

"Life. Real life. There is no magic, no knights in shining armor, no dragons and no waking up from enchanted sleeping with a kisses from princes. No matter how much we want those things in life, they are sadly and disappointingly only wishful dreams. In dreams we find our happily ever after, in reality the rent needs to be paid, your life is a sham and it will always rain when you are stuck outside without an umbrella." Sarah sighed and Jareth frowned.

"What if I could show you differently?" Jareth asked and Sarah let out a dejected half-laugh, half-sigh.

"I'd say you were delusional." Sarah replied and Jareth smirked.

"I've been called that a time or two, among other things not so benign. My name is Jareth… King." He held out his hand and Sarah took it in hers.

"Sarah Williams." She supplied her own name expecting Jareth to shake her hand, instead, like a gentlemen from a lost age he laid a gentle kiss to the back side of her finger tips.

"A pleasure Miss Williams." He purred and his kiss sent a shiver down her spine in a very nice way. Men just didn't behave like this anymore. Like, well, gentlemen. This man was oozing refinement from every pore. He intrigued her; he made the little devilish part inside of her stand up and take notice. This was no bumbling boy, but a devastatingly handsome, dapper, and refined gentleman eyeing her as if she was a filet mignon cooked to perfection and he was hungry. Very hungry.

His eyes were intense and fascinating. She could swear she'd seen them before, but could not place where. His right eye was a crystal clear blue, but his left, it was odd. The pupil was wide open, completely dilated, and transfixed. The iris around the strange pupil looked several shades darker blue than the other.

"I hate to sound rude. But may I ask what happened to your eye?" Sarah couldn't believe she just blurted out a question like that. Jareth for his part only chuckled.

"Nothing so fantastic as magic I am afraid. Quite mundane actually, I managed to fall and hit my eye at just the right angle as a boy being reckless as most children are prone to be. It is but an old injury, nothing more. I very nearly lost my eye and now the pupil no longer contracts. The color is an optical illusion because of it; my eyes are not actually two different colors. It just appears to be so." Jareth said and it amused him. No one ever dared asking, his eyes frightened people, and it was refreshing to point out a mundane flaw once in a while. It figured Sarah would be the one bold enough to ask.

"That must have hurt." She shivered and so did Jareth.

"For weeks. But I am thankful I can still see with it, for the first two weeks they thought I had permanently blinded myself." Jareth said and that was no small matter. Even though he was Sidhe and practically immortal for all intents and purposes his race could still be injured and maimed. Particularly where iron was concerned and that was the foul metal that nearly cost him his eye. He was playing where he should not have been, slipped, fell and caught his eye on a mortal's sword hilt. Had it been the blade it would have killed him. The poor knight had been beside himself as he carried the child to a healer. He was one of the few mortals who served the Seelie Court and he had thrown that beautiful sword in the river after what it had done to the child in his protection. From then on he carried naught but silver to protect the young Prince. That had been a very long time ago.

"Your mother must have been worried. I can't imagine how dreadful that must have been. My little brother once fell down the stairs when he was learning to walk and had two black eyes and I thought I was going to fly apart at the seams and he's only my brother." Sarah said and Jareth smiled at her.

"Son or brother a maternal instinct is inherent in most women. My mother was indeed first terrified and then became the she beastie Cerberus from Hades as she scolded me for being where I was told not to be in the first place." Jareth grinned and Sarah laughed.

"I can imagine." Sarah chuckled as the bell rang for a new customer and she excused herself to wait on them, leaving Jareth to look over her selections for him.

"Small steps old man, she's receptive, don't blow it." Jareth muttered to himself picking up all of the books and heading to the cash register.

"I'll take all of these to start I think, all wonderful choices Miss Williams." He said laying the books at the counter.

"It's just Sarah." She smiled as she rang up his purchases. Jareth produced the required cash, from a previously non-existing wallet and collected his bag.

"Sarah. I have thoroughly enjoyed our conversation and would love to talk further on subject with you, perhaps over dinner sometime?" He asked and Sarah's eyes widened.

"Are you asking me on a date?" She asked dumbfounded. No one had ever asked her on a date, let alone dashing and sexy decidedly older men in expensive Italian leather. He was at least ten years older than she was, he had to be in his late twenties if not thirties, and she was just some teenage girl working part time in a bookstore. Jail bait really for him, at least for the next seven months.

"I am, if you are agreeable. Just dinner and more stimulating debate on the fantastical." He said and Sarah swallowed, oh how she wanted to accept, but could not.

"I'd really love to Mr. King. But I'm afraid I can't. I have obligations. I work here every day after school until nine and then I babysit my brother on weekends. I'm sorry, I really would like to, but can't." Sarah said and Jareth smiled.

"I understand. How about a compromise then? Does your employer object to you having dinner while you are a prisoner here? Say I bring dinner with me and we can discuss magic over dinner at yon back table?" Jareth asked and Sarah smiled.

"I eat dinner there every night, no he won't mind and that sounds wonderful." Sarah said not mentioning her dinner consisted of a pot of ramen noodles every night and Jareth once again took her hand and kissed her fingers as he bowed over her hand.

"Then it is, as you so call it, a date fair maiden. Until tomorrow, precisely at seven I shall be here with your dinner and a topic of conversation." Jareth said before quitting the shop, a spring in his step.

"Wow. Talk about how to get a girl swooning! They certainly don't make gentlemen like you anymore. I could have sworn I've seen him before. Jareth… Jareth King? Why is that name so familiar?" Sarah thought silently and then laughed at herself and nearly danced her way throughout the rest of her shift.

(to be continued....)


	2. Dinner and Magic Beans

_**Obligatory Disclaimer:**__ This is a work of fanfiction, this means I do not own any of the characters, no matter how much I wish I had His Nibs Jareth, the Goblin King as my own personal cabana boy in tight trousers (and nothing else) bearing peach margaritas and chocolate truffles and singing "It's too Darn Hot" under the citronella filled tiki torches while shaking his money maker around my backyard pool. (Let us pause to appreciate that thought for a moment shall we ladies? Mmm, mental images are such lovely things indeed.) I own nothing but the words in this tale and those aren't worth much. Everything else is © Jim Henson and Company. I'm only borrowing their toys and I'll put them back when I'm finished, only slightly used and abused (And more than likely severely Sexually Harassed)._

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_**Quintessence**_

_**Quintessence**_ _is the most perfect embodiment of something. (In ancient and medieval philosophy) it is the fifth essence or element, ether, supposed to be the constituent matter of the heavenly bodies, the others being air, fire, earth, and water._

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**Chapter 2**

**Dinner and Magic Beans**

Jareth was in high spirits as he left the bookstore and headed down the street. He swung his bag idly as he strolled down the avenue. One of his Goblins took up stride next to him. "Yes Biggle?"

"Biggins Sire. We done what you asked your Majesty. Gots all of Lady Sarah's stuff we did. All except her little red book, the one she likes so much. The troll lady, the one who hurts Sarah all the time has it, she's got it in her pocket. We gots to wait until she's sleeping to gets it."

"Excellent. Now then Bratwurst…"

"Biggins Sire."

"Yes, whatever. I'm going to need to stay a while, I am to be courting my lady and it will exhaust me going back and forth constantly. I'm in need of a place to stay. Find me an empty house, preferably something with style and then fetch to me Sir Didymus and Hoggle I will be in need of their services. I will be waiting in the park." Jareth said and Biggins saluted and vanished.

It was nearing nine o'clock when a tall and lanky older gentleman with fox red hair graying at the temples and a bushy white mustache and a velvet eye patch over his left eye sauntered into the park, a short dwarfish man at his side.

"You called for us sire?" Sir Didymus asked twisting his mustache with his fingers, his good eye twinkling.

"I did Cyril. You know, I rather liked that she made you a fox for her visit, it suited you." Jareth said looking at his old friend and sword master in his true form and not the form Sarah's imagination had painted him to be.

"Ah yes, the Lady is unique and creative and I too rather enjoyed the glamour she required me to don for her adventure. I daresay my poor dog Ambrosius however still flees at the sight of a saddle. He has never forgiven me the indignity of being my noble steed. No matter how many soup bones I bribe him with." Cyril Didymus laughed, he was getting up in years but was still healthy and spry and a jocular fellow. Retired Captain of the Guard, he now simply worked as Jareth's personal aide, secretary and steward.

Hoggle on the other hand, looked just as he always looked he was not a sidhe like Cyril and Jareth but a dwarf and Sarah had a pretty accurate imagination on how dwarves looked save for one fact. She had imagined him beardless and he felt positively naked without his beard, which was once more hanging down his front as it was supposed to. Who ever heard of a dwarf without a beard? It was ludicrous. But for Sarah he'd shave if he had to, the lassie was worth it, sweet thing that she was. "Is the Missy alright?" Hoggle asked getting to the point and Jareth smiled. The Rat bastard actually smiled a pleasant smile.

"Physically yes Higgle. Emotionally she needs us, all of us. That's why I called you my friends."

"If I'm yer friend, why is it you never gets me name right? It's Hoggle damn it." Hoggle snorted and Jareth grinned. He knew perfectly well what Hoggle's name was, he just loved to annoy the dwarf.

"So it's true then, all of what you suspected?" Cyril asked and Jareth nodded.

"And more my friend. Her belief in magic is all but snuffed out like a candle. She's very nearly broken in spirit. Until she believes again, I won't be able to bring her back; the underground will not let her cross until that magic is alive in her again. Until she is whole again."

"Just don't blow it this time. Go slow, don't scare the girl off Jareth. She's not no damn fairy sidhe with more lust than sense. She's an innocent girl, woo her right this time." Hoggle grunted and Jareth frowned.

"I can still dump you in the bog Hogswiggle! I know." Jareth growled and Didymus held up his long fingered hands.

"Now, my lads cease with thy tempers. We all know the last time had to be played out and the outcome was as it should have been. We had no idea she would forget so completely nor that she would face a reality that made her suffer and lose the ability to wish. But we are here now; we can mend what is broken and bring our lovely lady home. What is the plan Sire?" Cyril asked as they all took up seats on a stone bench.

"I have the Goblins out scouting us a temporary residence here. Cyril I'm going to ask you to be butler and whatever else I need during our stay. Hoggle I am positive what they find us will be horrific but manageable with magic and elbow grease. I'm putting you in charge of the goblins to get us living decently. Get Agnes to cook for us and enlist whomever else you require. For the sake of the gods keep the chickens out and I'd suggest Ludo for heavy work if needed but even I'm hard pressed to put a glamour on him that makes him anything other than what he is."

"A big fat hairy dumb yeti. Yeah, Even Sarah's imagination and all the magic of the Labyrinth trying to grant her visions couldn't change Ludo." Hoggle laughed. Much as he loved the dumb beast, that's what he was a dumb beast and Ludo best intentions usually ended up destroying something unintentionally.

"King! King! We gots a place!" Biggins arrived excitedly, bouncing on his feet and dancing around the bench.

"I'm almost afraid. Lead on Biggleby."

"It's Biggins Sire."

"Deal with it kid." Hoggle sighed as they followed Biggins out of the park.

Jareth tried to keep calm, tried not to toss the nearest Goblin into the bog, and tried not to pinch his own nose off as he tried to suppress the headache forming between his eyes. "What do you call this? It's a ruin!" Jareth groaned looking at what was probably once a grand estate that was little more than stones and rubble and probably hadn't been inhabited in nearly a century.

"You said empty Sire. This is empty and big too, like a small castle!" Biggins said and Jareth sighed.

"Perhaps a hundred years ago. Oh this is going to exhaust me and if I am too tired to be witty and charming on my assignation with Sarah tomorrow I'm going to dip all of you in the Bog, head first, hung by your toenails." Jareth said holding up his hands.

The fallen stones began repairing themselves, the caved in roof raised and slowly but surely Jareth reordered time around the building only. Bringing the building back to its glory, as it had been when it was built. He looked positively ashen by the time he was finished. "There is a sad lack of magic in the aboveground. I'm exhausted." Jareth said slumping and Cryil caught him up.

"Aye sire, but it is grand. Let us get you inside and we'll get your bedchamber sorted out first so you can rest." Didymus said leading a very tired Jareth into their new home.

It didn't take but a half hour for Hoggle to wrangle the Goblins into getting a bed wrestled into Jareth's bedroom and get several women inside to clean and make the bed quickly. Jareth was asleep before the door closed behind the last servant.

"Right, we have a house to get in order before the King rises in the morning! Hoggle if you would be so kind as to get furniture and necessities brought in, I will see this place is cleaned and the servants assigned their duties." Cyril said taking charge of the household as Hoggle took charge of the laborers.

Agnes arrived and headed to the kitchens and several Goblin maids awaiting her orders. "Right girls. We need to stock this larder and the King can't be eatin' no mortal food. Get yerselves back to the palace and bring us up whatever's in the pantry. He'll be needing a hearty breakfast come morning using so much magic. Get us some chickens and for gods' sake, make sure they get cooped up in the yard and not in his majesty's parlor! You know how he hates livestock inside! Move on!"

By late morning, when Jareth finally cracked open bleary eyes he awoke to a cheerful fire in his fireplace, a warm cozy bed, clean draperies and a steaming pot of tea and pastries waiting on a table by his bed. Complete with a vase full of fresh flowers. Sir Didymus and Hoggle had outdone themselves getting this household in order overnight.

That was precisely the reason he kept those two close and only threatened a bog dipping once in a while and never followed through on his threats. They were worth their weight in Goblin Gold. Jareth was halfway through his second cup of tea when Cyril arrived to check on him. "Ah, I see thou hast arisen to greet the day Sire. How fare thee this morning?"

"Tired, but well, thank you Cyril. How is the house? I daresay I didn't see much of it last night." Jareth said around a yawn.

"A lovely estate Sire indeed. I have placed spells all along the fence to avoid any unwanted visitors. Anyone walking by shall not notice anything amiss. The glamour will show them the ruin we appropriated for our use. Only Sarah will be immune to my Glamour and anyone else you wish me to include on the exception list." Cyril said and Jareth chuckled.

"Just Sarah for now. That's fine and good thinking." Jareth said picking through Agnes' pastries. That woman could cook and she'd made all his favorites.

"Hoggle is outside taming the gardens, he grumbles as usual but I think he is quite enjoying himself." Cyril said with a smile as he joined Jareth at the small table.

"Agnes wishes to know what you'd like prepared for dinner I believe you said you had an assignation tonight with our fair maiden." Cyril asked and Jareth grinned.

"Aye, but not here, not yet. She is slave to her job at the moment. I am taking dinner to her. Have Agnes make a variety to place in a basket, finger foods, pasties, peaches." Jareth said and Cyril laughed.

"I do believe that is not a good idea Sire."

"It might spark a memory."

"One you do not want sparked boy. She was too young for that Masque! It frightened her more than it tempted her. You do not thrust young virgins into debauchery and come away with them anything but terrified."

"I know, I know. I admit my mistake there. She was too young, it was wishful thinking on my part."

"It was your loins thinking instead of your head Jareth." Cyril frowned. He only ever used Jareth's name when he scolded him like a pup.

"Admittedly. I promise I'm taking it slow this time, my lesson was learned. She is still a virgin and I intend to keep her that way until she agrees to be mine and she remembers. Rushing last time did no good, I've waited centuries for her, I can wait a little longer." Jareth said and Cyril nodded.

"See that you do. She is a lady Jareth, in every way. Treat her as such. Remember it is a Queen you court not a courtesan bred to the ways of the flesh. There will be a ring on Sarah's finger and vows spoken before you take her to your bed boy. That is how you respect the one you make your wife."

"Aye. I know. I don't like it, but I agree you can cease scolding me like I am five again." Jareth said and Cyril smiled.

"Just making sure my lad." Cyril said with a wink before he excused himself to inform Agnes of Jareth's dinner plans. Jareth finished his breakfast and decided he'd give himself a tour of his new home away from home.

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For once in her life. Sarah woke up fairly content. Karen had been in bed by the time Sarah got home from work, her once father was as usual locked in his study and bitterly ignoring her existence so the house was dark and quiet as she silently made her way to her bedroom. Not even the sight of a painfully bare and Spartan room, devoid of everything but furniture and clothing could dampen her lovely evening. She'd had a wonderful conversation with an intelligent, devastatingly handsome and dare she say regal man in her bookstore. He liked fantasy and lore as much as she did and he baited her with wit and charm and then he asked her to dinner. Granted it was just going to be take-out in the store itself, but that was as close to a date as she was ever likely to get.

She was painfully attracted to him; he sparked fires in her she hadn't known she possessed! It was like the maiden daring the dragon to roast her alive and damn it she wasn't going to bring marshmallows and fixing for s'mores if he huffed and puffed just a little her direction. She wanted to be singed, he was dangerous and devilish and completely and utterly male in every pore of his body. He radiated sexual magnetism and she was the refrigerator she wanted that magnet stuck to! He was also frustratingly familiar and she swore she had met him before, she couldn't remember when or where and when she tried to think about it she just came up with a blank. It was there, she knew it was there somewhere in the swiss cheese of her memory. But finding it was going to be a chore and she was too tired to think about it anymore that night. She was tired and she fell into bed with a sigh. Perhaps she'd remember in the morning on the walk to school.

That night she dreamt of a sugar spun silver and white dress, silver ivy ribbons and grotesque masks swirling and twirling around her. A ballroom of moonbeams and spiderweb silks and dancers, lewd and debauched writhing around her trying to tantalize and excite her, to lead her a merry chase. She was looking for something, someone. Just out of reach, hidden like her memories. Another time, another place. She was too young to be there, then. Not too young now, now she knew, she felt, she yearned. Then, the first time, she was not quite there, not able to comprehend the suggestions all around her. Now she knew and understood. She was no longer a girl, but a woman and the one she was seeking was a man. Not just any man, but a man she feared but was drawn to, a man she loved but was afraid to love. He was a paradox, he was power, he was no ordinary man. He was extraordinary. There he was suddenly before her, dressed in a midnight blue frock coat, his wild silvery blond hair streaked with blue to match his coat. His face, his handsome glorious face was haughty and regal, cruel and tender, his lips were curved in a knowing smirk, he was the Goblin King. His name was Jareth.

Sarah bolted awake, the dream fled and she grasped at it to no avail. All she remembered was a face, his face. "Oh Sarah you have it bad if you're already dreaming about him." She laughed at herself turning to look at her alarm clock. At least Karen had let her keep that out of necessity. Three in the morning, she still had a few hours of sleep left before she had to get up and get ready for school. "Okay brain, if you're going to Dream about sexy Mr. King again let's avoid the ballroom and over the top regency regalia costumes and skip right to the good stuff, preferably with some chocolate sauce and whipped cream in there okay?" She put in her request and snuggled back down to go back to sleep.

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School seemed to drag on forever and when the final bell rang Sarah ran home, she wanted to look good tonight for her almost-date. Karen was not home, her father was at work and Toby was naturally with his mother wherever she was. She had the house to herself and if she were lucky she'd be gone before Karen and Toby got home. She took a shower quickly; blow dried her hair and decided to twist it up in an elegant French twist, hoping it made her look a little more sophisticated and less like a seventeen year old girl who was headlong into a crush. She dug through her closet and found her favorite sage green blouse with the billowy sleeves and Queen Anne collar that brought out her eyes. Her dark chocolate brown suede long skirt, matching boots and belt, she was comfortable for a long evening at work, but still looked nicely put together and composed. Now if only those darn butterflies in her stomach would cooperate for the evening she'd be as composed inside as she was outside.

Her luck was holding as she was already walking to work before Karen's car turned the corner, a narrow escape. She clocked in by four o'clock and the next three hours were going to be more like three years as she waited for one Mr. Jareth King to arrive.

At precisely seven, the door chimed, and Mr. Wonderful glided into the deserted bookstore, large basket hanging on one arm, a warm smile on his lips and a dusting of snow in his silvery blond hair. "It's beginning to snow out there. Good evening Sarah." Jareth purred as he walked over to the counter.

"Good evening to you too Mr. King. Right on time." Sarah said, her stomach doing little flips of barely suppressed joy. He looked good enough to eat in her opinion regardless of whatever he carried in his basket that smelled delicious. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail still, his eyes glinted merrily like a cat about to pounce a canary, his long dark wool dress coat was buttoned tightly against the cold, his tartan scarf tossed over a shoulder.

"I wouldn't dream of being anything but punctual when it is a meeting with you Sweet Sarah. Give me just a moment to prepare our victuals." He said with a wink, before heading back to the table. Unbeknownst to Sarah, Jareth muttered a small spell as he set the table, he wasn't about to share Sarah's time with anyone, the shop would be devoid of visitors until closing time. Anyone coming to the door would suddenly get the urge to be elsewhere, immediately. The next two hours were going to be his alone with his Lady.

First Jareth removed his coat and scarf and draped them over a chair. He was wearing a nicely tailored Armani suit in dove gray with a powder blue tie that accentuated his eyes. He then draped a rich vermillion table cloth over the battered old table before he began setting out Agnes' bounty. Roasted chicken in herbs and butter, potatoes and carrots wrapped in flaky pastry pasties still hot from the oven. Fresh fruit cut up into bite sized pieces, brie Bernadette rolled in pecans and honey and toasted to spread on crackers. Peach cider mulled with spices and warm in a brushed silver thermos and chocolate truffles for dessert. "You may come back now Sarah." Jareth called and Sarah gasped at the table setting. There were even two long taper candles burning merrily and a single red rose lying in her place at the table. It was so very romantic.

"Oh Jareth, it's lovely, I don't know what to say." Sarah said breathless with wonder. Jareth just bowed over her hand and once again kissed the backs of her fingers.

"You haven't tasted anything yet my Lady. You look lovely tonight, green suits you, it matches your beautiful eyes." He said with a smile in his voice as he pulled out Sarah's chair for her to be seated.

"Thank you." Sarah blushed and Jareth's inner voice chortled. Who knew she was so easy to please when they weren't adversaries in a game. He decidedly liked that rosy hue on her cheeks and the way her voice became breathless when she was delighted.

"You are more than welcome." He said as he began to fix her a plate. "I hope you like dinner, these are some of my favorites my cook Agnes makes. I am frightfully ignorant of all things domestic I must admit. We would be eating straw and magic beans if you left me in a kitchen for any amount of time and relied upon me to serve dinner." Jareth said and Sarah laughed as she accepted the plate.

"I'd rescue you. I'm not so bad in a kitchen. But really. Magic Beans? Are we going to argue about magic again tonight?" She asked and Jareth grinned a truly feral grin.

"But of course fair maiden. I am bound and determined to get you to believe in all things beyond explanation, but only after I have plied you with food and drink to weaken your defenses." Jareth said with a wink as Sarah nibbled at her dinner.

"Oh this is wonderful. Agnes is divine." Sarah said, her eyes rolling in near ecstasy as she tasted Jareth's offerings.

"Agnes' ego is large enough, I will refrain from fueling it with your praise if you don't mind." Jareth chuckled as he too tucked into a very nice meal.

Sarah noticed Jareth was still wearing his gloves and once again curiosity got the better of her manners. "May I ask why you wear gloves?"

"My sense of touch is rather acute and I find gloves help dampen the sensation." Jareth replied honestly if not completely the whole truth. His touch was magic and Sarah would feel the magic when he touched her without his gloves. He was saving that for a very special occasion, their wedding night to be precise.

"Interesting, I've heard blind people develop a heightened sense of touch and hearing when deprived of sight. I've never known anyone else who did."

"You do now." Jareth winked as he poured her a cup of cider. "This is a specialty from where I come from, mulled Peach cider. I hope you enjoy it." Jareth said and Sarah shivered as she sipped it.

"Oh that is nice; it warms right to the toes. Where do you come from? You accent sounds English." Sarah said and Jareth smiled over the rim of his cup.

"That is a tale for another day I'm afraid. Let's just say I am from a land Far, Far Away." Jareth said, humor dripping from his voice.

"There you go with the fairy tales again." Sarah just rolled her eyes amused at Jareth's playful nature.

"As I said, there is always a kernel of truth in every tale. It is knowing what is truth and what is fabrication that makes the difference." He winked as they finished dinner and he reached over to feed Sarah a truffle. It was truly a very romantic dinner and her eyes were full of light and wonder by the end of the meal.

"Did you enjoy it Sarah?" He asked honestly and Sarah bestowed upon him a genuine sweet smile.

"I did very much. Thank you Jareth. Tonight was… dare I say it? Magical."

"It has only just begun." He said as he reached into his pocket and brought out what looked like a kidney bean dipped in a vat of tye-dye paint out of some psychedelic nightmare.

"What on earth is that?" Sarah asked and Jareth grinned.

"I thought we'd start with the basics, this my dear is your average Magic Bean." Jareth said setting it on the table in front of her.

Sarah laughed. "You don't honestly expect me to fall for this Jareth. You painted a kidney bean."

"I didn't. That my dear is the real thing." He said and it was.

"Right, and I'm supposed to plant it and then climb it the next morning into the clouds, Find a giant, steal his golden goose, his magic harp and then find out I'm the long lost princess of the kingdom in the clouds?" she asked and Jareth laughed.

"Nay, and therein lies the fabrication to the tale. Magic beans do not grow quite that large. They do grow overnight into a rather hearty stalk but they are not ladders or towers of Babylon. They grow to about man height and they simply produce more magic beans. If you eat them however, and I suggest you do not eat them, you… well, putting it delicately, you know how beans react on most people. Imagine noxious, multi-colored wind. This is a favorite Goblin treat to the annoyance of many who must encounter them after a bender of Magic bean chili cook-offs. Plant it, you will at least see how quickly it grows and that magic is undeniable." Jareth said and Sarah laughed.

"That was creative. Noxious chili made from magic beans and a Goblin delicacy. Oh, you're good Jareth. But I don't believe you."

"Plant it and see Sarah, man-height and in fruit by morning. Do not let your little brother eat the beans unless you wish to torment your household for a week. He may find it funny, you I promise will not." Jareth said and Sarah rolled her eyes but took the bean.

"I'll plant it just to prove you wrong."

"I'm not wrong. Care to wager on the outcome?" He asked, the Fae in him could never resist a good wager.

"Alright Mr. King I'll bite. If by morning this bean stalk is as tall as I am and covered in flower power beans what do you want?" She asked and Jareth grinned.

"Another date with you." He said and Sarah laughed.

"You could have had that anyway. Choose something else." Sarah said and Jareth smiled.

"Alright. If I win this little wager, I get a kiss. Is that agreeable to you?" Jareth asked and Sarah blushed but smiled.

"Okay. A kiss it is. What do I get if I win?" Sarah asked and Jareth leaned forward and smirked.

"Name your price wench. I can give as good as I get." He winked and Sarah laughed.

"You tell me where you are really from."

"Deal. I hope you like disappointment and please do not wear lipstick, your lips are divine enough without paint."

Sarah laughed. "Confident much?"

"My lady, my confidence is the very least of your worries." Jareth said with a wink.

Jareth in that moment looked incredibly dangerous and sinful and every woman's secret desire. There were bad boys and then there were men like Jareth who made bad boys look like geeky accountants who live in their mother's basements. He made her shiver in all the right places and in all the wrong ones too.

"Is that so? I think I'll brave it Mr. King."

"My dear Sarah, it is your bravery and stubbornness I find most attractive about you. You are no meek woman and I find that infinitely alluring." Jareth said standing and gathering up their dinner to place back in the basket. Then walking over to stand behind her chair, he leaned over her shoulder, his breath tickling the shell of her ear and sending gooseflesh down her skin. "Plant it where the moon will touch the soil." He said softly, he smelled of wild wind and earth and exotic spices. He was intoxicating as his hand slowly tugged the clip holding her hair up in her twist, letting her tresses tumble down around her shoulders and his fingers delicately ran through her hair as he held strands to his face to breathe deeply.

"As beautiful as you are and as graceful a neck you have my dear. I find I like your hair down much better. Hair as luxuriant as yours should never be contained; it should be free to be kissed by the wind. Until tomorrow my lady." He said softly in her ear again before he gathered up the basket, pulled on his coat and scarf and left the bookstore with a regal bow and a look that said he'd be getting his kiss the next evening.

Sarah was too weak-kneed to stand anytime soon. Jareth had turned her into a complete and utter pile of gelatinous goo and he'd done nothing but speak softly into her ear and run fingers through her hair. What was a kiss going to do to her if he barely had to touch her to set her on fire.

"Like that bean is going to be anything other than a buried joke in the morning. There's no such thing as magic, he's teasing you, and he knows it. Then why do I want to lose so badly?" Sarah asked herself as she pulled herself together, realized it was nearly nine o'clock and time to close up for the night and head home.

She did however stop around in the backyard, found a nice moonlit patch of ground and buried the bean before she headed upstairs to bed.

She dreamed of Jareth again, her brain thankfully going right to the good parts and she woke feeling decidedly wanton before she got up to get ready for school. She was just finishing getting dressed when Toby's voice sounded from downstairs.

"WHOA COOL! MAGIC BEANS!"

Sarah raced downstairs and stood dumbstruck at what was standing in her backyard mocking her. A Man height stalk covered in Magic Beans.

"Don't eat them Toby. Just, just don't." Sarah murmured still trying to rationalize a magic beanstalk standing tall and in full fruit, covered in snow her in her backyard.

Maybe Jareth was right. Maybe the son of a bitch found out where I live and planted that thing in my back yard! She thought to herself and then realized that Jareth did not know where she lived and could not have known the precise spot she planted that stupid bean.

She lost the bet.

She really couldn't find the energy to be upset about it either.

(to be continued... )

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	3. Damsel in Distress…

_**Obligatory Disclaimer:**__ This is a work of fanfiction, this means I do not own any of the characters, no matter how much I wish I had His Nibs Jareth, the Goblin King as my own personal cabana boy in tight trousers (and nothing else) bearing peach margaritas and chocolate truffles and singing "It's too Darn Hot" under the citronella filled tiki torches while shaking his money maker around my backyard pool. (Let us pause to appreciate that thought for a moment shall we ladies? Mmm, mental images are such lovely things indeed.) I own nothing but the words in this tale and those aren't worth much. Everything else is © Jim Henson and Company. I'm only borrowing their toys and I'll put them back when I'm finished, only slightly used and abused (And more than likely severely Sexually Harassed)._

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_**Quintessence**_

_**Quintessence**_ _is the most perfect embodiment of something. (In ancient and medieval philosophy) it is the fifth essence or element, ether, supposed to be the constituent matter of the heavenly bodies, the others being air, fire, earth, and water._

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**Chapter 3**

**Damsel in Distress…**

Sarah's brain had decided to go into meltdown mode somewhere around lunch period, her classes all morning had been a blur and now as she sat eating her peanut butter sandwich alone in the corner of the cafeteria it finally sank in, there was a magic bean stalk in her back yard, it had not been there yesterday. She had inspected it before going to school and it was very real. It was a living plant, not a plastic joke stuck in the ground. The stalk had been a vibrant purple, tearing off a shoot showed the inside was a garish orange in color and it was a real plant. Covered in rainbow beans, Jareth had told her it was real, she hadn't believed him. She now had proof. "Oh my God. Karen is going to flip when she finds that!" Sarah groaned and laid her forehead down on the table in abject and futile denial.

"Well Sarah, you asked for it I suppose. You lost the bet and probably lost your mind too." She thought to herself, glad this was the last day of school before winter vacation started for Christmas and New Years and that, with any luck, Karen had not noticed the Magic Bean Stalk in her yard before the family headed out to Karen's parents until after the New Year.

A trip Sarah would NOT be joining. Karen had pointed out frankly and with no small amount of glee that the Holidays were meant to be spent with family and loved ones and since Sarah was NOT family she was not welcome to join them on their two week Vacation to Vermont to stay with Karen's parents. She was being left home, alone, with a crate of Ramen noodles, three two-liters of Sprite and not a single festive decoration in sight and not a penny to her name either. She had counted her Ramen noodles, she had enough for two cups a day and it would last out her two weeks. Water was free when the soda ran out. She didn't dare touch anything else in the pantry, Karen kept an accounting and would know if a single can of tuna went missing. No matter how sick to death Sarah was at eating nothing but Ramen noodles for the past several months, she didn't want to make Karen any worse than she already was. There was no sense in adding fuel to an already raging fire.

She would miss the School free lunch program. It was the only meal that wasn't pot noodles. Albeit it was a peanut butter sandwich and a half pint of milk it was at least protein and the milk had the calcium she needed.

She thought back to last night's dinner. It had been sinfully divine and made even more scrumptious being flavored with genuine hunger. She mentally thanked Jareth again for his romantic dinner and then shivered knowing tonight he was going to collect a kiss. Her first kiss too. She couldn't think of a man more worthy of getting her first kiss than one Mr. Jareth King, if for nothing else but for breaking up her dreary and sad, pitiful life with a little magic and romance, real magic and real, sweet and wonderful romance. Oh her heart gave a pathetic little twinge. What was a man like him interested in a mousy, dull, boring girl like her anyway? Once he met Karen and found out when she turned eighteen she was going to be homeless he'd run for the hills. She had baggage, ugly, real depressing baggage. No guy deserved that sort of luggage attached, especially not men like Jareth King. Sarah sighed. She would not get her hopes up, she buried the crush as deeply as she could and refused to poke at it because it hurt.

Reality was a bitter pill. No matter how much she wanted it, it was not hers to have. Girls like her ended up waiting tables and working two and three jobs just to stay afloat. She'd have no time for romance, so there was no point in starting something that was just going to end badly anyway. Sophisticated wealthy men did not date bookstore clerks or diner waitresses. They dated rich women with social graces and sophistication. They dated and married women like Karen. They only slept with the waitresses and store clerks, they were flings not wives, and Sarah would rather die a virgin than let herself be used and tossed aside like a used tissue.

She only had a little pride left and that was all she had left. When she lost that, she knew her soul would be lost too.

With a sigh and a sad heart she finished her lunch, even if she had to choke it down, she would need that lunch no matter that it tasted like dirt at the moment. She tossed her trash into the receptacle and headed toward her afternoon classes in a haze of self doubt and depression.

Jareth frowned at his crystal. "What's wrong love? The magic was alive in you this morning and once more it is gone. What is going on in that pretty mind of yours? What self depreciating spiral have you wrapped yourself in so suddenly?" Jareth asked her image as he watched her settle back into classes for the remainder of her afternoon.

It seemed she had a little luck left in her that afternoon. By the time she got home, it was empty as a ghost town. She'd not have to face Karen for two whole weeks, not until after the New Year she was thankful for small blessings as she headed upstairs to set her books down and get changed for work. The house was freezing, so Sarah went to check the thermostat, there was a note hanging from it.

"Your father is not paying for electricity he isn't using. There's a fireplace, use it." The note read and Sarah gasped. They hadn't cut the power off! What was she going to do? The entire kitchen ran on electricity, even the stove. No heat, no way to boil water for her pot noodles, did they want her to starve and die?

"Silly question. Apparently yes." Sarah sighed. This also meant absolutely no hot water from the water heater either. Add to that she was going to get stinky and ripe without showers. She had no tears left anymore as she sank onto her bed stunned at this newest wrench tossed into her engine of life.

"What God did I piss off? Who did I kill to deserve all this? I'm sorry whatever I did, I'm sorry." Sarah whispered to no one as she stared blankly at the note Karen had left.

She had no time however to deal with her crisis however, she had to get to work. So she just changed clothes, grabbed her purse and keys, and headed to the bookstore. Maybe her boss would let her sleep in the backroom for the next two weeks. A few pillows and a blanket, at least it was warm and she could use the tiny kitchenette to cook in and bathe in the bathroom sink. She was mortified having to ask, but she had little alternative. Tears ran unchecked down her cheeks as she walked to work, the snow starting to fly with a vengeance, she was soaked to the skin by the time she made it to work, the blizzard only getting worse.

"Sarah hon, I was hoping to catch you before you got all the way here. Weather report says this storm is going to be nasty we're closing up early." Her boss said turning around the closed sign.

"Mr. Peterson, do you mind at all if I stay here tonight? You see, the power is off at home and I feel terrible for asking, but…" Sarah's voice hitched and her boss frowned.

"Just tonight Sarah and don't let the others know I let you stay here. There's policy, this is not a hotel." He said and Sarah nodded.

"I know, it's just I had no idea they were going to turn the power off on me, and I'm soaked. I'm sorry to be a bother sir." Sarah said defeated in spirit and Mr. Peterson frowned.

"Look, I understand Sarah. It's no secret in town, your step mom has told pretty much everyone about your circumstances. I think it's plain rotten what you're facing, my hands are tied though, I can only let you stay tonight, but you can use the kitchen and the bathroom whenever you need it and stay all day if you wish, but you just can't sleep here, it's against the law I think." Mr. Peterson said and Sarah nodded and watched him leave as the snow began to fly like a tempest outside.

Sarah curled up into a ball and wept. She cried until she felt raw and broken and all she could do was gasp for air. What was she going to do? She was about to fall head first into a full blown panic attack when the door banged open with a gust of wind and there standing in the flurry of snow stood an angel of mercy. Jareth, windblown and wild, bundled in his thick woolen coat and boots rushed inside and shut the door.

"Sarah…" he began as he knelt beside her, his face a mask of concern as he reached out to wipe away the tears from her cheeks. "Tell me later what is wrong, right now I'm making sure you get home safely, this storm is horrific and will get much worse. Good god woman, you're frozen to the bone." He said and Sarah shook her head.

"I can't go home. The power is off." Sarah shivered; she was frightfully and frighteningly cold to the touch.

"Well you're not staying here Sarah, the whole town will be snow bound by morning. You'll be trapped. You're coming with me then young lady, no arguments." He said scooping her up as if she weighed nothing at all and carried her like a babe to his waiting car.

"Cyril, get us home as fast as you can, she's chilled right through." Jareth said taking off his coat to wrap it around her quivering shoulders.

"Jareth, I can't, it's not that I don't appreciate what you're trying to do for me, but…" Sarah began a small feeling of Déjà vu sweeping over her briefly before her words were stilled by a gloved finger against her lips.

"Nonsense Sarah. This storm is going to be terrible and I was worried about you walking in this anyway. Give me leave to be concerned about you and your safety my dear." Jareth hushed her concerns and then reached into his breast pocket for a silken handkerchief and wiped her cheeks with it. "Sarah, why the tears? What is wrong?" He asked tenderly and for a moment Sarah held back, feeling ashamed and frightened but he looked so concerned, his touch as he wiped away her tears seemed to also wipe away her resistance and if this was going to end, let it end now with her horrible, ugly truth. Before she fell in love with him, before it would hurt too much to say goodbye, when he ran screaming to the nearest exit.

She sobbed and told him everything. Her mother's abandonment of her and then her death, finding out her father wasn't her father, her struggle to pay the Williams' back for all the money they'd spent on her growing up, and her fears that now that they also wanted rent for her room and board too that she'd have to quit school and get a second job. She told of how they had left on vacation and had turned the power off while they were gone and finally knowing that come June she was going to be even worse off than she was now. All her fears, all her baggage, all her sorrow poured out onto his lapels as he held her close and let her purge into his chest. He gently stroked her hair while she let go of her pent up grief and hiccupped and cried and gasped for air as if she was suffocating under a blanket of troubles that seemed to have no solution and no end in sight.

He kept silent and let her talk until she could speak no longer, let her cry until there were no tears left and only shuddering and heaving sorrow. Only then did he speak. "Oh Sarah, do not for one minute believe you deserve any of this sorrow. You are not to blame precious. Your mother's infidelity, your father's ire, your step-mother's mammon, they make you a target for their own shortcomings and failures. However, to leave you destitute, without so much as a way to keep warm in winter, that is an unforgivable cruelty, it goes beyond a desire to inflict pain and suffering in order to fill a void in themselves, it has crossed the line into downright vindictiveness and purest evil intent. I will not allow it." Jareth said as the car pulled into a stately drive and toward a gorgeous mansion. One Sarah had once thought was nothing but a romantic ruin of a lost era. It seemed it had been rebuilt.

"Jareth, I can't ask you to help me. I can't pay you back." Sarah began and was once more shushed with a finger to her lips.

"Did I ask for payment precious? No, I did not. I offer you sanctuary not because I seek anything, but because you need it and I am able to provide it. I want to provide it, because I care about you. Please let me Sarah, let me protect you." Jareth's voice was almost pleading as the car pulled to a stop.

"Why? I don't understand." Sarah asked and Jareth only smiled.

"Ah Sarah, you've lived a lifetime with no one to care about you I'm not surprised you do not understand… Yet. But I will show you precious. Come inside now, let's get you into something dry and warm and get a decent hot meal inside you. We'll talk more later." Jareth said once more carrying Sarah from the car into the warm house. They were trailed by the chauffer into a grand foyer. The tall older gentleman with the velvet eye patch smiled and winked at her as he shut the door against the blizzard.

"I daresay a frightful bit of weather indeed; I think we rescued thee just in time fair maiden. I'll go see Agnes about a good stout meal for the lady." He said and Sarah couldn't help but smile at the older gent as he sauntered off and Jareth headed for the stairs.

"That's Cyril, my all around right hand man Sarah. He's extremely old fashioned, he grows on you." Jareth said climbing the stairs with little effort and then setting her gently onto her feet when they reached a grand room decorated in pastels and creams with fresh white and pink roses sitting on a table covered in lace. It was a room fit for a queen.

"This is yours while you're with us Sarah. I believe there is a robe in the dresser and there is a bath room behind the door there to your right. Get out of those wet things, take a nice hot bath, and get warm. When you're ready, just come across the hall, I'll have dinner waiting." Jareth said, gently laying his hand on her cheek before quitting the room.

Sarah took a deep shuddering breath. First magic beans, then rescuing a damsel in distress. Jareth was a walking, talking, living breathing fairy tale come true. "If I'm dreaming, please don't let me wake up." Sarah said as she shed her wet clothes, found a thick and inviting white and overly fluffy bathrobe embroidered with pink roses along the hem and cuffs with matching slippers lined with the softest fleece and they both fit her perfectly, as if made just for her and her alone.

In the attached bathroom to her grand guest suite, was a white marbled paradise. A huge sunken tub with gold fixtures, a platter of dainty soaps in shapes of flowers sat on the edge of the tub, each one a different fragrance and shaped to match the flower it smelled like. She chose the sweet rose, turned on the taps on just shy of scalding and sank blissfully into a wonderful bath. She had purged, she felt raw and every nerve exposed, but also relieved. It was nice to let it all out, to have someone know her secrets and not run away screaming. Jareth was wonderful, he was kind and generous, and Sarah was very much falling in love with her knight in shining Armani and Italian leather. No, not a knight, not a mere prince either. Jareth was a king among men; she only hoped this particular King liked scullery maids.

He seemed too, he called her such lovely endearments as if he meant them. Sarah chewed her bottom lip and thought of that age old proverb that said, "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is."

She sincerely hoped her streak of bad luck was over and this wasn't too good to be true. If it was, this was going to break her completely.

----------

Jareth paced around his room, waiting for Sarah to join him in his sitting room attached to his own bed chamber. Dinner was sitting on the small table, a spell keeping it warm as candles flickered merrily. Jareth's mood was anything but merry. He was downright furious. What had Robert and Karen been thinking? It was bad enough they had made her an unwelcome stranger in her childhood home; it was bad enough they used her as free housecleaning and babysitting services when she had been considered Robert's spawn. It was unthinkably cruel in the time of grief losing her mother and knowing the woman had written her off completely to force Sarah to 'earn her keep' with the loss of child support payments. But then to add salt to the wound by stripping her of the only parent she had ever known in the process. Granted Robert had never been father of the year where Sarah had been concerned, but at least he was something a poor lost girl could claim, and now she didn't even have that. Cast adrift by those who should have loved her and then made to work to make up for short comings of both her parents. Then the systematic stripping of everything she had ever held dear in her life. Every memento, every small token of affection, every happy memory sold for pennies not because Robert needed money, not because he needed compensation or restitution, the man was perfectly wealthy enough to afford to take care of a slip of a girl. He'd barely spent a dime on her over the years as it was, the few toys and trinkets she'd collected over the years were simple little things, plastic and stuffed. It was the principle, take back the love, make sure she feels the pain as keenly as possible. It was nothing but a raping of her spirit and the child is not to blame for a parent's mistakes. Yet blame her they did, hurting her for the sake of hurting her they excelled at the practice. If that weren't enough, if they hadn't brought her close enough to the brink of utter despair, they inform her on the heels of their latest torment that she is going to have to pay them even more money for the privilege of living in a house of torment. Leaving Sarah little option but considering leaving her education to get a second job in order to afford to pay people to torment her.

What money she gave them currently was more than enough to pay for her expenses in that household. They already fed her items that were barely considered foodstuffs, let alone had any nutritional value, Sarah's health was beginning to suffer. Sarah lived on food that cost perhaps two dollars a day on Karen's budget, the electricity in the home was being used anyway, what was one single light bulb in her room? What was the water for her shower worth? The little bar of soap? Simple little things that Jareth knew cost little and Sarah's paycheck more than paid for in the end. Yet they wanted more, just for the sake of ruining Sarah utterly and completely.

But the last and final straw was the leaving her alone in a house that had no power. That was pure and utter evil, which was in Jareth's opinion attempted murder. It was winter for the gods' sakes! It was freezing outside and the tiny little fireplace in the parlor of her home was inadequate to keep the room warm. She'd have frozen to death! Not to mention she had no way to feed herself, those disgusting little pots of noodles required boiling water. The kitchen in that home was utterly useless without power and he was fairly positive there was not a proper tea kettle in the home she could have used over the open fire, mortals didn't have items like that much anymore. No, Karen had gone one step too far, this was nothing short of an attempt to kill Sarah once and for all and Jareth was livid.

"Not while I live and breathe." Jareth snarled as Cyril knocked on the door.

"On this I agree with you sire. The lady is not safe in her own home any longer and she should remain here. I have a plan sire. Should those reprobates seek to take her from us with the use of mortal authorities, I would like to claim her as a grandfather. As you know her real father is an unknown man, I could claim him as a deceased son. It would give us a claim over her that the Williams' cannot since they have made such an effort to prove she is not one of theirs with relish. She is still a under the age of majority here, I would be her champion and guardian until such time as she is past the threat the Williams' pose." Cyril said and Jareth smiled.

"You also wish to be her chaperone. I know you Cyril. You don't trust her virtue is safe with me either."

"Truthfully lad, nay I do not. Doubt that you love her I do not, doubt your will power to abstain from temptation when she is so close? Yes, I do. You forget I've known you since you were nothing but a glint in your good sire's eye my boy. You have a lack of propriety at times and especially where our Lady is concerned. I was young once too my boy, the temptation will be paramount." Cyril said and Jareth laughed.

"I am nothing like my sire. He has more bastard children running around than I have Goblins to rule. I would hope I had more discretion than my father. I may have had my fair share of dalliances Cyril. I have been more than careful not to share that part of me with any woman. There are many ways to seek pleasure without that act and I vowed once a very long time ago I would not make a habit of leaving presents of the diapering variety on any woman. When I do decide to share my seed with a woman Cyril, it will be with my wife and I will have legitimate heirs. Have a little faith in me." Jareth said and Cyril smiled.

"I have much faith in you Jareth, but you have wanted her a long time I am just reminding you to remember your vows. You have always made me proud that you did not follow Oberon's devil may care attitude with women but I care very much for Sarah too and want no one to look askance of her when you make her your bride. Many will object, don't give them reasons to gossip." Cyril said and Jareth nodded.

"Point taken my friend. I am however going to mark her as mine this night. Just a kiss, nothing more." Jareth agreed and winked and Cyril chuckled and nodded as a gentle knock came to the door and Cyril answered it to find Sarah still pink from her warm bath, dressed in her robe and slippers standing there.

"Ah, my lady. Come, please be seated." Cyril said taking her hand and leading her to a chair at the table. Once she was seated he draped a soft blanket over her lap and another over the back of her shoulders.

"We don't want you chilled my lady. It wouldn't do for you to catch a cold under my watch." He said softly, his good eye twinkling merrily like a kindly grandfather and Sarah was completely taken in by the older gentleman. Something about him charmed her right to her toes, a sense of friendship and familiarity swept over her and she knew instinctively that this wonderful man would slay dragons to protect her then turn around and tell her bedtime stories before tucking her into bed with a cup of hot cocoa.

"Thank you." She smiled warmly and he just patted her head as if she was five.

"You are welcome lass. Jareth I leave her to your care for the next hour. See she eats and I'll return to escort her to bed soon, we don't want her to catch a chill and she needs her rest." Cyril said with a bow before exiting and Jareth chuckled.

"That my dear is an order not to be disobeyed. He's your self-appointed chaperone and he so delicately has just informed me that this old wolf is under his eye." He said and Sarah smiled.

"Does that make me little red riding hood?" She asked and Jareth grinned.

"That makes you his charge and he'd flay me alive before I could blink if I get cheeky. You certainly do inspire loyalty precious." Jareth grinned with a wink before motioning for Sarah to remove the cover off her plate. "Do eat my dear. We don't want Didymus back in here scolding you to finish your vegetables." He added with a wink and Sarah's hand froze mid-lift.

"What is his name?" She asked, voice trembling, her memory trying to function around a black nothing of recognition.

"Cyril Didymus. Sir Cyril Didymus. He is a retired knight actually." Jareth said and Sarah blinked several times, memory ghosting in her eyes before it passed.

"That name sounds familiar." She finally said and Jareth smiled and just nodded.

"Eat, we will talk once you've eaten." Jareth ordered and Sarah obeyed, she was ravenous and once again Agnes was to be praised. Succulent pork cutlets in gravy, mashed potatoes packed with fresh herbs and spices, crisp and delightful green beans in a buttery sauce it was sinfully delicious.

"Why is it everything you feed me tastes like heaven?" She asked and Jareth smiled wickedly at her.

"Grown with Magic precious." He answered, quite truthfully.

"Jareth, really."

"Why so quick to deny it? Did you not have a rather hard to explain bit of garish fruit standing in your yard this morning?" He asked and Sarah's fork clattered to the table, after the events of the afternoon, the beanstalk had completely slipped her mind.

"What was that? Did you put it there? Be serious Jareth." She asked and Jareth leaned back in his chair and hooked his leg over the arm casually like a very large cat.

"I am decidedly quite serious as of late precious. Which is strangely quite out of character for me, I tend to wax a bit more whimsical; I am more capricious by nature. However, where magic is concerned I am certainly not in jest. It is real Sarah and I am determined to make you believe it again as you did as a girl." He said and Sarah narrowed her eyes at him.

"It makes no sense." She said with a huff and Jareth laughed.

"It's not supposed to, its magic it follows its own rules and logic is not one of them." Jareth replied, sorely tempted to just conjure a few crystals to prove his point but he knew that would be a bit drastic and would more than likely just cause her to faint first, crystals needed a build up for adults. Children were far more accepting of the outrageous and spectacular.

"Oh this will give me a headache. Jareth, what was that plant?"

"Magic Beans Sarah. Your brother did not eat them I hope." Jareth said and Sarah sighed.

"I almost hope he did, they are going to be driving in a car with him for nine hours." Sarah said and Jareth let out a bark of laughter.

"Oh precious, that is cruel, but fitting." Jareth grinned and Sarah thought for just a moment she saw pointed, feral teeth. The sensation was gone as quickly as it came.

"He has a foul enough gastric system when he's not fueled with magic gas." Sarah chuckled, a sadness creeping over her like a shroud.

"You miss him." Jareth said pulling his chair closer to take her hand.

"I do. Call me crazy, but it's as if my heart is missing when he's away. He's the only person in my life who has ever truly loved me for no reason at all. He makes me smile when I'm sad, he will say or do something so dear, so sweet he makes my soul melt and I can't find it within me to be sad anymore. I just want to hold him and tell him stories and watch him learn. He's my one joy and I will miss him for Christmas." She said and Jareth squeezed her hand.

"He's not the only one who loves you. Not anymore precious." Jareth said threading his fingers through hers.

"Jareth… How? For that matter WHY?" Sarah asked, shocked. Jareth did not just admit he loved her… did he?

"Do I need a reason? Because there are several reasons and also none at all at the same time, you are a fascinating creature Sarah and you cannot see your own charms. You are utterly self-unaware yet self-reliant. I find that perhaps your most endearing quality." Jareth purred and Sarah shivered.

"You confuse me." Sarah admitted and Jareth laughed.

"If I didn't precious I would think I was ill." Jareth admitted and Sarah raised an eyebrow at him.

"You like being mysterious don't you?" She asked and Jareth laughed.

"Precious I like being many things, an enigma is just one of my more favored personality traits." He winked and Sarah had to laugh at him.

"I will figure you out Mr. King." She said and he leaned in close and almost growled at her.

"I hope you do my dear. You would be the first and I have learned not to underestimate your potential." He said turning her chair to face his, knee to knee, nose to nose.

"I also believe there was a matter of a wager, one you lost precious. I would very much like to collect my winnings." He spoke like liquid velvet and Sarah shivered involuntarily.

"So you did, even if I still think you cheated." She said and Jareth laughed.

"I did cheat; I let you wager knowing full well I was going to win. That does not change the fact that there is a kiss on your lips that belongs to me." He said and Sarah melted into her chair. Oh Jareth was smooth and dangerous and all together far too alluring to ignore or deny.

"Then I suppose you'd better take it." She said braver than she felt, her insides were screaming and fluttering and full of glorious anticipation.

"Indeed." Was all he said before he leaned into her and claimed her first kiss. Just a gentle brush of his lips against hers, a tingle, a taste and then a more insistent exploration of her lips until she sighed and her lips parted and she was lost headlong into a kiss that curled her toes and sent gooseflesh rising on her skin. He was electric, like kissing a thunderstorm. He overwhelmed her until the only thing in the world was his lips and his tongue tasting her, then it was over and the world came crashing back into focus as he sat back, his eyes darkened with barely suppressed passion. He was not unaffected and neither was she.

"Oh my." Sarah breathed, lost for words and dizzy with awakening.

"Aye, Dangerous indeed. I could quite easily get lost in you precious." He said with a voice that sounded shaken and restrained. Then he smiled and reached up with his gloved hand to lightly trace her swollen and abused lips with his thumb. "Thank you precious. A First kiss is special and I thank you for giving it to me." He added and Sarah shivered. How had he known that was her first kiss?

"How?" She asked and he just smiled.

"A man knows these things Sarah. It's the innocence and the trepidation and then the surrender. It's a magic all its own for those who can recognize it." He answered cupping her cheek and looking at her as if she were the most glorious creature ever to walk the earth. She felt humbled and like a queen all at once. Jareth knew how to make life a real fairy tale.

"You're… amazing." She breathed and he chuckled.

"Thank you. Now then, before I let myself get carried away and risk a flogging by my butler I will remove temptation." Jareth said moving his chair back to the other side of the table. Sarah had to laugh and add to Jareth's growing list of admirable qualities. He was, a gentleman through and through.

"Now I wish to talk of serious matters Sarah. You will be staying here with us and I will not take no for an answer. When the storm breaks I will send Cyril to collect your things from your home. I will not have you set foot back in that house. Secondly, I detest that you are forced to work when your education should come first. I am a scholar at heart and see learning as a priority and I want you to focus on your schooling and I wish you to sever your employment in order to do so." He started and he held up his hand when Sarah began to protest.

"Don't defy me Sarah. I am in earnest and as I stated, I will not take no for an answer. Look around you Sarah, do I look like I am hurting financially?" He asked and she shook her head, still too shocked to speak yet.

"No. I can quite easily care for my lady's needs and then some. I will handle the fall-out that will occur when they return, do not worry about a thing. The only thing I want you to worry about is your homework and your grades. The rest let me worry about." Jareth said and finally Sarah found her missing tongue.

"I can't let you do that!"

"Why not precious?"

"Because that's crazy Jareth! I can't just move in here and sponge off your goodwill!"

"Why ever not? Did I not make it perfectly clear how I feel about you?" He asked and Sarah stammered.

"Yes, but… OH DAMN IT. Jareth I'd feel bad about it. I'd feel like I'm taking advantage of you." She said and Jareth had the gall to smirk.

"Well, I wouldn't complain much if you took advantage of me precious." He was dripping with innuendo and Sarah narrowed her gaze at him.

"You know what I mean Jareth. Stop looking at me like I'm the prize turkey on Thanksgiving."

"Sarah love, get used to it, you are the prize and I am a sore loser. I take care of me and mine." He said just as Cyril entered the room.

"My lady, I have come to escort you back to your room." He said and she stood in a huff.

"Jareth, we will talk more about this later." She said and Jareth grinned. Her fire was back.

"Indeed, after I call the bookshop and sever your tenure."

"Jareth!"

"Sarah do not defy me on this, go to bed, sleep and accept. I will do what is in your best interests whether you fight me about it or not. Have a peaceful sleep precious." He said and Sarah threw up her hands and stormed out of the room, Cyril shaking his head and snickering to himself as he followed her.

"My lady, might I suggest on this you do not fight him. He is right and I happen to agree with him. You will not be a burden upon him and he takes care of what he hold most dear. He may be a bit of a rogue with a nature that is wild, but his heart is good and if nothing else, those he loves he protects with a single-mindedness bordering on obsessive compulsion. It is who he is my lady. Let him protect what he loves." Cyril said pulling back her covers for her to climb into bed.

He very literally tucked her in. "He's frustrating." She grumbled and Cyril laughed and patted her head.

"That is Jareth. Frustrating, Capricious, Mischievous, Devilish, Charming and Loving. Remember, no matter what you see, underneath all his outrageous behavior, his heart is unwavering and he would lay down his life without care or thought for those he loves. Never have I seen him love someone as much as he loves you my lady. Remember that." Cyril said switching off the lights and leaving her to her dreams.

"How can he love me? He hardly knows me." Sarah whispered to the dark and let herself fall into a fitful sleep.

The Goblin King was there in her dreams, he bore Jareth's face and he was holding out to her a red rose. "Sarah, I know you better than you think. Remember me beloved; remember the magic so I can take you home. My Queen, My Love." He said and Sarah shivered in her dreams and then faded into a place where she would not dream, would not remember how she had hurt him with her words.

"Sarah, stop blaming yourself for choosing the right path." Came the longing voice of Jareth, the Goblin King.

"I can't." She whispered back, sinking into darkness and oblivion.

(to be continued….)

Please Review, Thank You.


	4. Deck the Halls

**Chapter 4**

**Deck the Halls**

Sarah awoke slowly. She was warm and content and lost under a thick down comforter and tucked between sheets scented with lavender. The bed was perhaps the most comfortable creation ever made and she was sure the bed was whispering "No need to get up, stay a while." Because that was certainly how she felt while snuggled into it that morning. Her body however was reminding her it too had needs and she'd better get up and see to them despite wanting to be utterly lazy and stay in bed forever.

She reluctantly crawled out of bed and ambled into the bathroom. On the counter laid out by unseen hands were items that had not been there the night before. A brand new toothbrush, hairbrush, and other toiletries were set beside her cleaned and dried clothing from the day before. Folded neatly and awaiting her.

"He certainly knows how to treat guests, that's for certain. You were born in a completely different century Mr. King. Men don't act like you anymore." She said to no one as she hung up her robe on the hook behind the bathroom door and prepared herself for the day with a decadent hot shower and a good brushing of teeth. She felt almost human again as she dressed and headed back into her room. Looking out of her window she gasped.

The entire world as far as the eye could see was covered in several feet of snow and it was still falling. She would have been totally stranded in the bookstore or at home. The thought was sobering and terrifying. Had Jareth not swooped in and demanded he rescue her, had he not brought her here she would have either frozen to death in her home or starved to death in the bookstore. She shivered. Then she narrowed her gaze as a short and stout man with a white beard that hung down to his belly and a bright red cap on his head trudged out into the snow a shovel resting on his shoulder. He looked like a short Santa in a winter wonderland and she smiled. He set to work clearing a path to what looked like a chicken coop.

She wondered who he was and decided she should venture out and greet the world, sure she would find out eventually who else dwelled in Jareth's home. Heading out into the hall she turned toward the stairs and descended. "This is a castle." She muttered and heard Cyril laugh.

"Not quite my lady. But near enough. Didst thou sleep well?" He asked and Sarah smiled.

"I did. Thank you." She said as Cyril offered her his arm.

"Allow me to escort you to the kitchen. Agnes is cooking your breakfast now." Cyril said as he lead her through the grand foyer, through a drawing room, a formal dining room and then into a massive stone and brick kitchen that looked like it belonged in a medieval palace. It smelled of frying bacon and eggs and fresh brewed coffee. It set Sarah's mouth to water as she sat at a rough hewn table, polished to gleaming and she spied a wrinkled crone, even shorter than the man outside standing on a stool and stirring her pots on the stove. She looked like a harridan from every fairy tale Sarah had ever read, but her eyes spoke differently. They were black but sparkled like gems, they were kind and merry and all together full of good humor.

"Sit yerself down young lady, tsk tsk skinny as a rail." Agnes clucked scooping some wonderful looking porridge into a bowl and setting that in front of Sarah. "You get tucked into that to start." She said with a wink and the wonderful smell of cinnamon and brown sugar assaulted Sarah's nose and then kissed her tongue.

"Oh Agnes, this is the best I've ever had. In fact everything you've cooked that I've tasted has been wonderful, my compliments to the chef." Sarah said and Agnes laughed as she fried bacon in a pan.

"Thank you missy, it'll do, it'll do. Been cookin' for his nibs since he was a boy I have." She cackled as Cyril brought over a tea service.

"Tea my lady?" He asked pouring a cup as Sarah nodded with her mouth full.

"Sugar and Milk?" He asked and again Sarah nodded as Cyril prepared her tea.

"This is a special blend made especially for His Maje… for Jareth." Cyril said catching himself before he slipped.

"What does he do?" Sarah asked and Cyril smiled.

"Oh a good many things my lady, he is exceptional at his duties." Cyril said more than vague and Sarah knew an evasion when she saw one.

"Not going to tell me are you?" She asked and Cyril laughed.

"Nay, it is up to Jareth to tell you when it is time for you to know such things. Trust however Sarah my dear. Jareth never lies. He may avoid giving you a straight answer, but there is always truth in his words. Always, without fail, honesty is one of Jareth's virtues and vices. He is an honorable man Sarah I have served his family since before he was born. I am quite proud of the man he has become." Cyril said and Agnes laughed heartily.

"He's mischief personified you old goat. It's true he never lies, but that boy is the one who turned my hair gray. Little trouble maker he is, you watch him Sarah pet, he's ornery." She said with a wink and Sarah laughed.

"I gathered that much." Sarah said as the stout man with the beard came in the kitchen door, stamping off his boots with a basket of eggs.

"Bloody snow is a menace! Piled up taller than a witches hat and damn near buried the coop! Well, my word. Hello Missy." Hoggle said and Sarah stared. Yet another person in Jareth's home she knew she should know and was positive she'd seen him before. She knew somehow, he was a friend.

"How do you do." Sarah said stiffly as the man who could pass as a Tolkien dwarf in a Hollywood movie came shuffling over to set the basket of eggs on the table.

"Just fine, just fine. Looking well I daresay if a little pale around the edges. Hear you almost got yerself caught in that mess out there." He said his bright blue eyes looking quite concerned for her.

"I did. Thankfully Jareth has a penchant for rescuing Damsels in Distress." Sarah quipped and Hoggle snorted.

"Rat Bastard has a penchant for rescuing you." Hoggle mumbled and Cyril cleared his throat.

"Hoggle my good man, Let the lady have her meal in peace, such language in front of a lady." Cyril said aghast and Sarah stopped chewing mid bite. Hoggle? Another name she was positive she had heard before. Didymus, Hoggle… Jareth. Why were these names so connected? What piece of this puzzle was missing? It was giving her another migraine thinking about it. What was wrong with her memory? Why couldn't she remember and whenever she tried to remember she got these horrible headaches.

She rubbed her temples and gave up; breakfast was too wonderful to allow her appetite to be spoiled due to a headache. She had other pressing concerns to deal with. Namely stopping Jareth before he had a chance to call her boss, if he was dead set upon her staying in his home, she was going to contribute. She was not a freeloader. "Is there a phone I can use? I really need to call my boss. I'm supposed to work this afternoon and I don't think the roads are clear, I need to find out." Sarah asked Cyril who nodded.

"Lass, there is a phone, but I do believe Jareth wishes you to terminate your association with labors." Cyril said motioning to the phone hanging on the kitchen wall.

"Jareth is medieval in his thinking. I cannot in good conscience just let him support me without trying to contribute something." Sarah said, heading to the phone. She tried the store first and when no one answered she called Mr. Peterson at home. Jareth chose that moment to walk into the kitchen and she held a hand up as the phone was ringing to forestall him. He just quirked an eyebrow at her, crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe to wait.

"Hi, Mr. Peterson? It's Sarah from the store…" Sarah began and then winced when he interrupted her and began shouting loud enough even Jareth could hear him clearly across the room.

"Sarah Williams! Do you have any idea what you did? You left the store unlocked you stupid girl! The door blew open and we have snow inside! We could have been robbed! I thought you were going to stay and this is the thanks you give me? Don't bother coming in this afternoon, you're fired! I'll mail you your last check and then I'll send you a bill for damages young lady!" He said slamming the phone down with a bang. Sarah felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her and she still had the phone receiver in her hand as she sank slowly to the floor in disbelief; she hadn't even had a chance to speak before he hung up on her.

Jareth looked dark and foreboding as he took the receiver from her trembling fingers and hit the redial button on the phone.

"What?!" Mr. Peterson shouted and Jareth growled.

"While I can understand your anger Mr. Peterson that gives you no right to shout at her in such a manner, nor fail to give her a moment to explain herself to you. I am the one who took her in last night and made her leave the store because of the storm. You heartless fool. The door was closed and locked when we left; I made sure of it myself. Did you not notice there were winds last night that stripped tiles off roofs and downed power lines? I myself lost several windows. Do not blame acts of nature on defenseless women. I will have one of my staff come collect her final check from you this afternoon and you will not be sending her a bill do I make that perfectly clear?" Jareth asked.

"Who the fuck are you?" Peterson asked and Jareth's eyes flashed dangerously.

"My name is Jareth King and I am your worst nightmare should you cross me. I do not take kindly to people treating my loved ones with such disrespect. After hearing how you speak to a lady I wouldn't let Sarah, or any young woman work with you, you insolent cur. My manservant will be at the bookshop at eleven o'clock sharp. You will have her severance prepared. Good Day Mr. Peterson." Jareth said hanging up the phone and then squatting beside Sarah to look her in the eye. He ran his gloved fingers through her hair and smiled at her.

"Do not let this upset you precious. Good riddance to labors that are beneath you and men who need to prove themselves superior by yelling at ladies, it's reprehensible behavior. Do not let this get you down; I have much more pleasant activities planned for today anyway." Jareth began switching gears to get Sarah in better spirits.

"What do you have planned?" She asked and Jareth grinned.

"Sarah what season is this? In two days twelfth night begins! I had thought perhaps you would care to give my home a woman's touch and help us decorate." Jareth grinned and Sarah sighed.

"You celebrate twelfth night?" She asked. Jareth really was a throwback to the middle ages.

"But of course precious. Come, the servants are bringing in decorations to sort through and I've given Hoggle instructions to go bring us in a grand tree for the parlor. Forget your worries, come live the magic of the season with me love." Jareth said standing and pulling her up off the floor.

"There you go with magic again."

"Dearest, I am Magic." Jareth said with a wink leading her out of the kitchen and into the parlor where he set her on a lovely overstuffed couch that was in the middle of a sea of trunks and boxes of decorations that looked to be centuries old and antique.

"Oh my, these are beautiful." Sarah whispered reverently touching several crystal orb ornaments that looked delicate as soap bubbles and spun sugar.

Jareth grinned. "It's just a crystal, nothing more."

Sarah shivered and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Jareth watched the flickering memories, soon enough she'd remember and he hoped when she did he survived the flash flood in one piece.

----------

The roads were still treacherous, but they were manageable with a little magic to ensure the car didn't skid off the road. Main Street was a mess of debris, broken windows and signs as he parked and walked down the street toward the bookstore. All together the bookshop sustained quite little damage in comparison to the rest of the shops, just a little water damage just inside the front door where snow had blown inside. He frowned as he approached the counter where a man was berating a girl around Sarah's age. He hated men who took out their frustrations on the weaker sex.

"Pardon me. I am here to collect Miss William's severance." Didymus proclaimed to the man who turned his ire on Cyril, sending the girl to the backroom.

"Listen here you, you tell your boss I will not be spoken to like that!" Peterson growled and Didymus crossed his arms.

"I believe he was well within his rights to dress you down. We all could hear quite plainly your words to the young lady in our care who was only calling to tell you what happened last night and why she was not here this morning. The storm damage is hardly her fault and you sir had no right to treat her in such a manner. We all take offense, she is a good girl who was in dire straits last night. She does not need a man such as you treating her as if she were a vandal on top of her other troubles." Cyril's word dripped with condemnation and contempt.

Peterson snorted. "Good girl? Hardly. We all know the truth. Her mother was the biggest slut on the planet and dumped her kid on a man not even her father, she was a spoiled brat and deserves what she's getting now. Karma is a bitch." He said slapping the check on the counter.

Cyril grabbed his shirt front and the air crackled with power. "It is indeed. Let me warn you now, His majesty is not the only one you need fear if you hurt her again. Be warned, Sarah is under our protection and no one hurts what is ours." Cyril said and Peterson stammered.

"His Majesty?" He croaked and Cyril grinned, his good eye glinting.

"Aye." Cyril said letting his human glamour slip just a little, letting Peterson see his very pointed ears and he held out a hand and a book flew off the shelf and into his hand. He slapped it on to the counter. It was a book entitled "The Aos Sí, The Lore of the Sidhe" and he flipped open the book and pointed to a rather good painting done of himself as a younger man, it was a photograph of an old renaissance painting. Beside him in the Painting was Jareth and surrounding them were goblins.

"I suggest you read this chapter and know with whom you are dealing, His Majesty does not jest and would not take kindly to you wishing ill on the lady he has chosen for his Queen, and you have been duly warned. Good Day to you." Didymus said taking Sarah's check and heading for the door.

Peterson gulped and looked down at the page. _**The Goblin King, the protector of the Unwanted, Master Weaver of Dreams and Lord of the Labyrinth. Of all the aos sí in the underground, he is the most mercurial and the one with the most contact with mortals. He is neither a part of the Seelie or Unseelie, he is the balance between good and evil, darkness and light. He is the scale of justice for the Sidhe when it comes to their dealings with mortals. It is his ancient duty to collect the unwanted from mortal lands. He is the Sidhe called upon to create changelings and brings children who have been wished away to the underground realms of the daoine sídhe. Be careful what you wish for, he just may grant your wish. Nothing however comes without a price and the cost is always dear when dealing with The Goblin King. Legend says that the Goblin King created his Labyrinth to punish the greedy, ensnare the wicked, and test the merit of the mortal souls who wish away their children. Only one wholly unselfish and pure of spirit will survive the test and gain their dreams. No one has ever entered the Labyrinth and come out alive. But then again, anyone as heartless as to wish away a child are unlikely to defeat a test designed to expose him or her for what they truly are within.**_ Peterson's hands shook as he closed the book and fled the store, not wanting to take the chance that fellow with the eye patch would come back, or worse, his Lord and Master.

Cyril looked at the pathetically small paycheck in his hands. "So little, Slave's wages indeed." He grumbled as he stopped at the Victorian home Sarah lived in and called a few Goblins to his side. "Gentlemen, please collect the rest of our Lady's belongings and deliver them to our mortal residence here. Make sure you take care to collect only things that belong to her and do not damage anything. She has precious little to call her own as it is." Cyril said with a sigh and watching the Goblins head into her home to retrieve her belongings.

"Ah my lady what torments you have suffered in this world. I never realized the depth until now. You are such a deception. Brave, kind, loving and determined even though you have been brought so low, you are truly a remarkable young woman." Didymus sighed as he made sure all her things were removed, as well as making sure the goblins harvested and then destroyed the Magic Bean Stalk, it wouldn't do for anyone to find that bit of business.

"I say chaps; make sure you do not eat those beans here! The last thing our lady needs is your foul bottoms to add to her woes!" Cyril said as he watched a few Goblins pocket handfuls of the beans with glee.

There were some grumbles but the goblins agreed to take the beans back underground and not return until the after affects of Magic Bean Chili night had passed.

----------

When Cyril returned he found Jareth and Sarah laughing softly in the parlor, covered in glitter and tinsel from old decorations and still in the process of decorating a lovely tree Hoggle had cut down. Sarah looked content and happy and disinclined to argue with Jareth as he kept her mind off her woes with cheerful music in the background and festive trappings scattered throughout the room. One of Agnes' kitchen girls came in bearing a tray of steaming mulled cider and shortbread and set it on the coffee table as the couple paused their decorating to drink.

"Everything go alright Cyril?" Jareth asked throwing his leg over the arm of his overstuffed chair as he sipped his cider.

"Indeed. I have the lady's wages and all her possessions. They are being put away in her room now." He said coming over to hand Sarah money. "I took the liberty of exchanging your check for something more immediate so close to the holiday." He said and Sarah narrowed her eyes.

"My check could not have been this much. I never get this much. You've padded this Cyril." She said and Cyril smiled.

"Perhaps, perhaps not." He winked his good eye and Sarah frowned and counted out what she normally would have received and placed the rest on the table.

"That will just sit there until you take it back. The rest is what I would have earned and if you have an envelope I can mail it to Karen." Sarah said and now it was Jareth who spoke up.

"Nay Sarah, you are not paying them for the privilege of tormenting you. I forbid it. You do not owe restitution nor should you be required to pay room on board on a home that is, until they return, unfit to live in. It's ludicrous. If anyone owes Robert Williams restitution it is your late mother's estate and as he is a man of letters and law he has probably already begun proceedings to collect seventeen years worth of monies owed to him in addition to the child support she paid. He is not a fool. Any court of law would be on your side precious. The sin of the father or in this case the mother is not the sin of the child. You are not paying them another red cent." Jareth said picking up the money she had set on the table and tucked it back into hand.

"That is pocket change and you will keep it Sarah. Let us make amends for the wrongs that were inflicted upon you. It makes us happy to do so and it is the season for accepting gifts graciously precious." Jareth said and Sarah sighed.

"Why? I don't understand either of you." Sarah had tears in her eyes but held them back stubbornly.

"Nothing to understand, just accept. You are not alone anymore Sarah love." Jareth said standing and then leaning over to kiss her brow.

"Now enough emotional distress for one day, I have a few things I need to see to this afternoon, if you'll excuse me. We'll meet for dinner at seven tonight. Cyril if you would be so kind as to take Sarah out for the afternoon." Jareth said with a wink and Cyril laughed.

"Excellent idea. Come my lady, Let us go shopping, not much time left." Cyril said grabbing her coat from the closet and holding it out for her.

"You can't be serious! I'm not spending this money. I don't care what you two are up to!" She groused but Cyril only chuckled.

"We shall see my lady, now come time is short." Cyril ushered her out to the car and she stomped her foot in frustration but climbed into the back of the sleek, dove gray Rolls Royce.

"You both are insane." She spoke under her breath as the car pulled out and headed into town once more.

----------

Cyril drove them to the larger mall that was happily doing last minute business and crammed with seasonal shoppers despite the roads. Sarah had no intention of letting go of any of her money and every intention of just stuffing the whole wad of it down Jareth's Christmas stocking to help pay for her room and board. He was right about Karen, but so very wrong about just letting her live off him like a freeloader. That was until she walked in front of her favorite store. "The Pixie Garden" it was her favorite window to stare into longingly. She could never buy anything naturally, but the window to her was magical. Full of crystals and figurines of all the fairies in fairy land, gnomes and fairies sitting on mushrooms for the garden, music boxes and statues for bookshelves, crystal prisms to hang in windows and it all smelled of spices and exotic incense. It smelled like Jareth, wild and magnetic like the wind and the rain with a touch of musk and patchouli and cloves, and to a lesser extent Cyril, rich and vibrant, like fresh green grass and bergamot. Even Agnes smelled of turned earth and good wholesome cinnamon. They all smelled like this store and Sarah sighed as she stared at all the lovely things in the store window she'd never be able to buy but admired just the same.

Until one very small item caught her eye, it was ever so small, no bigger than the palm of her hand, just a crystal orb snow globe, and inside was a barn owl sitting in a weathered twisted tree. Below him in tiny intricate detail was a labyrinth. It snowed golden glitter when you shook it. It was mesmerizing and screamed Jareth to her for some reason. It was him somehow, she didn't know why, but it was. She was almost afraid to ask what something that intricate cost, but she went inside just the same and was shocked to see it had a clearance sticker on the bottom, only two dollars and fifty cents. She couldn't believe her good luck, apparently and according the clerk, the little owl had just sat in the store for years, people wanted fairies and elves and not average little woodland creatures.

"There's nothing average about the Goblin King." Sarah quipped and then wondered what in the hell she was thinking for saying something so odd like that. The clerk just smiled and handed her the bag and receipt.

"Have a lovely day, Merry Christmas!" The clerk said cheerfully as Sarah left to find Cyril standing looking into the window.

"I say such magic in this window. I can see why you stood here for so long." He said and Sarah smiled.

"These fairies are lovely, and no fear of getting bitten either when they are made from plaster and ceramic." She said and once again wondered where her mouth was going ahead of her brain. Fairies did nice things, like granting wishes, didn't they? Cyril just gave her a quizzical look but said nothing.

She was remembering, bits and pieces here and there, but not enough, not nearly enough to trigger the memories she'd buried deep within. He only hoped when she did remember, it would come out all right and she wouldn't run from fear. They had to show her they loved her and that she had created her own memories within the labyrinth. Jareth was not the villain she had painted him to be. Well, that wasn't entirely true. He was a cruel bastard when the mortal deserved it, the abusers and murderers, rapists and miscreants he usually dealt with in the labyrinth. Those men and women quaked with real fear; he visited retribution on those who had hurt children. But with Sarah he had been merely playful, on the edge of mystery with a hint of danger.

She had never been under any real threat and even if she had failed in the thirteen hours allotted her, he would have sent Toby back. She had not meant her wish, not truly and the Labyrinth had shown Jareth her true nature, her pure soul and selfless spirit. He had fallen so deeply in love with Sarah Cyril had watched him mourn for weeks her loss. When a Sidhe fell in love, they fell in love only once and it was forever. They held affection for trysts and lovers, ever the game players at heart, but when they married, it was sacred and love was rare, it was deep and it was binding. He wanted Sarah to know this and he had the book already in his own shopping bag for her. It was yet another book on the fair folk, and within it were poems and sonnets explaining the intricacies of Sidhe hearts. He hoped she would read and know this book first before she truly remembered. It would be easier for Jareth later if she understood him better, the man he was, and not the King. She had to know Jareth for who he was, not what he was, and that was paramount. Jareth so far was doing a good job showing her his inner self, but she needed more time. Cyril hoped they had that time.

(to be continued)

And I'd like to take a moment to thank all you lovely reviewers from the bottom of my heart. I never expected so many reviews and you've all said the nicest things, I'm so very touched. I know this chapter isn't much, just transitioning into the next phase of the story… I'm writing as quickly as I can. This would have been out sooner, but for some reason I've been exhausted this weekend and I slept pretty much all night and all day today. Hopefully updates will be a little more timely this week. Thank you again!


	5. I Could Have Danced All Night

**Chapter 5**

**I Could Have Danced All Night**

Sarah left Didymus in the food court while he nursed a nice cup of Earl Grey and told him she'd rendezvous with him in the same spot in an hour. Since she had something for Jareth and managed to find such a bargain, she hoped her luck would hold out and she could get something for Didymus, Agnes and Hoggle too. They'd all been so kind to her, and it was Christmas, she didn't have to spend a lot to show them her gratitude. So she hit the stores with a single mindedness. Find things for her new and wonderful friends on an extremely tight budget.

She found a cheerful apron that said "Goddess of the Kitchen, now get out of it before I smite you." Which made Sarah laugh and again her luck was extraordinary. That too was on clearance and under three dollars including tax. That went in her bag for Agnes. She found a coffee mug with a Knight in armor on it, complete with a lance and it said "#1 Knight in Shining Armor" it made her think of Didymus and that too was under her five dollar limit per friend. Now for Hoggle, and that was going to be difficult. But somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered seeing a bag of shiny baubles hanging off his belt; he seemed to be a bit of a magpie where glitter and gems were concerned. She went back to the fairy shop and bought him a beautifully cut crystal sun catcher to hang in his window. She made out like a bandit. Four friends now had Christmas presents and she had spent less than fifteen dollars for all of them combined. Not bad bits of shopping in her opinion especially since the presents were fitting to them all but kind on her meager budget. She tucked the remainder of her money in her purse, determined that she'd sneak down Christmas Eve while Jareth was sleeping and put the money in his stocking. She would not be thwarted in paying him rent.

At least for this month, she'd have to find another job soon. Damn Peterson, she needed that stupid job it wasn't her fault the storm knocked the door open. It wasn't fair and she seemed to have a disproportionate amount of things decidedly unfair in her life. Karma it seemed at finally quit his or her vendetta against her and blessed her with a reprieve for the holidays. Jareth and the others were like a strange assortment of medieval character guardian angels. She was smitten with all of them in a variety of ways.

Didymus was like the best grandfatherly man she'd ever dreamed of having in her life. She felt totally safe and happy and she knew if she asked, he'd read her bedtime stories over gingerbread and hot cocoa. He'd already tucked her in and every pat to her head he gave her made her warm and want to just hug him to pieces in return.

Hoggle, brash rude Hoggle was charming in his own way. He was gruff and abrasive and she knew he was a big old bear on the inside. Full of honey, even if he'd deny he was a softy to his last breath.

Agnes, ugly but adorable Agnes, Sarah could picture Agnes living in a gingerbread house to tempt children, but not to eat them for her own dinner. Just for the sheer joy of making the wee ones high on sugar before sending the children back home to inflict their hyperactivity on their unsuspecting parents. She'd laugh wickedly then head back to the kitchen to make more to delight everyone. She was Grandmother and Wicked Gleeful Witch rolled into one stout, short, wrinkled and delightful Hag. Sarah adored her, wanted to sit at her feet and learn her tricks and her recipes and just bond with a woman at last. She'd never had a motherly or grandmotherly figure in her life and Agnes was what she'd always wanted all rolled into a fairy godmother, or rather witchy godmother for good measure.

Then there was Jareth. Now he was in a class all by himself. Forget Princes and Knights out of those books, he made them all look like little boys in comparison. He was a king, regal, overbearing, demanding, controlling, handsome, wickedly smug, charming, and every sinful desire Sarah had ever dreamed about since she hit puberty and realized she had hormones and they decidedly liked men in THAT way. Not mere boys either, she never dreamt of boys, but of men, men who were seasoned and knew more about the world than she did. Well, one man actually. She never could remember his face, but the man she dreamed about was hard to forget. Jareth reminded her of him, he was THAT sort of man, and he was all man from his silvery blond hair to his toes. He oozed sensuality and haughtiness and made her feel like an absolute Queen. He treated her like an equal, even when he was demanding she just up and obey him, he did it in a way that spoke of caring and concern rather than any other motive. Although she was quite certain the man never did anything without motive, or for that matter expect to be disobeyed. She was positive whatever that man wanted, he got one way or another.

For reasons she couldn't fathom or figure out, he apparently wanted her. She wasn't going to argue, she wanted him too. It was crazy, it was probably foolish, she was definitely 'jail-bait', but damn if he didn't make her quiver in all the right ways. She certainly wasn't going to tell anyone she was living with him, the last thing she wanted was to get him in trouble, especially if things progressed to a state beyond that kiss that has set her on fire and curled her toes. No sir, her lips were sealed. She suddenly wished it was June and she wasn't considered a minor.

"Oh my god, what am I thinking? Down girl!" Sarah said to herself, she was heading into unknown territory and was not going to entertain the notion of sleeping with Jareth King. Not yet at least, it was too soon, damn her hormones! She was not going to be a conquest only to be left behind when the wind blew another direction. No. She had her pride damn it and until there was a ring on her finger, there was going to be nothing in her pants or in other unmentionable places. She had at least a modicum of self-respect left in her.

Even if he did make her forget to breathe on occasion just by looking at her, the man was good. She was definitely falling hard for Jareth, but she wanted love, not just lust. Right now she was still confused about her own feelings. Love was just not something she'd ever felt before and until she could determine what she felt was love, she was going to take it slow. Until she could say "I love you too" to Jareth in return to his professing of affections, she'd take it one baby step at a time. Her virginity was something she could only give one man and only once. She wanted to make damn sure the man she gave that 'gift' to was a man she loved with her whole heart and soul. Jareth was slowly earning that honor, but she wanted to be sure.

She did not want to regret her first time later in life. She'd heard far too many horror stories from the girls in school bathrooms. How they gave themselves to boys who never called again or worse. Didn't bother to be careful about hurting the girl and then wham, bam, thank you ma'am over. She was fairly positive Jareth knew more than a sixteen year old boy about such things and would take care of her should they get to that point. Of that she at least had no worries. Love was the deciding factor; she'd save being scared until it was time to be scared.

She met Didymus back at their appointed meeting place with ten minutes to spare. He sat there looking dapper and festive in his dark charcoal woolen trench coat, green scarf and graying red hair. "Didst thou find what you were seeking?" He asked picking up his own bags.

"I did. Shall we go?" She asked and he smiled and nodded offering her his arm.

"Indeed fair maiden. The afternoon grows long in the tooth I should get thee home before Jareth grows overly anxious over your well being." He said as he led her arm in arm back to the car. They were home just as the sun disappeared beneath the horizon and Jareth was at the door waiting for them with a smile on his face.

He tried peeking into her bags and she snatched them behind her back. "Oh no you don't, no peeking Jareth. You're as bad as Toby." Sarah scolded and he laughed.

"Ah precious, haven't you learned yet that boys only grow taller and never outgrow wanting to peek at things they've been told not to?" He asked a little too suggestively and Sarah glowered at him.

"I'm locking my bedroom door."

"Good idea precious." He winked at her and she just laughed at him, scoundrel that he was, it was one of his charms.

"I still have a few things I need to take care of, I just happened to see the car pull into the drive. Dinner is at seven love, I've taken the liberty of selecting something for you to wear tonight and had it laid out for you. Please humor me, it's all part of tonight's surprise for you." He said shooing Sarah up to her room while he headed into another part of the house, presumably where his office was located.

Intrigued, Sarah went up to her room, on the bed was an outfit fit for a fairy queen. A white silk chemise that was softer than eiderdown was laid next to soft linen petticoat and stockings. But what stole her breath away was a brocade corseted gown in a brilliant and vibrant red with a matching ermine lined mantle with a deep hood. It was straight out of fantasy and on top of the gown was a note. _"If Miss Red Riding Hood would join me in the foyer at precisely seven this evening, I would be most honored. Love, Mr. Big, Bad Wolf."_

Sarah laughed gaily as she fingered the grandest dress she'd ever laid eyes on, she prayed it fit her correctly. She had enough time to shower and managed to tame her hair with a red ribbon, remembering he preferred she wear her hair long and then began the process of trying to get into her gown. It was a process, it was sadly not designed to be put on alone and she breathed a sigh of relief when one of the maids tapped on her door.

"We done figured you'd need some help with that thing." She said gaily and helped get Sarah into her dress.

"Thank you. What is he thinking?" Sarah asked and the maid laughed.

"Mayhap wooing you is my guess." She said with a wink and left after she had Sarah's corset laces snug and tied. Sarah tossed the mantle over her arm and headed down to the foyer just a few minutes before seven.

There at the foot of the stairs, gazing up at her as if she were the most beautiful creature ever to grace the earth was her King. He was dressed to match her; his long black frock coat was embroidered at the wide cuffs, hem, lapels and pocket flaps in red threads that glittered in the light. His lace cuffed undershirt pocked out of the coat cuffs and framed his black gloved hands. The ruffles of his cravat around his grafton collar were tucked into his long waistcoat, which was made of the same red brocade fabric as her dress, and his black pants were tucked into brilliantly polished black riding boots. His hair was tied back with a black bow. He took her breath away in his regency splendor.

"Precious, you are beyond beautiful. You take my breath away." He breathed as he reached up to take her hand on the final stair, bringing it to his lips for a lingering kiss to the backs of her fingers.

She smiled. "I was just thinking the same about you, Mr. Wolf." She replied, equally as breathless and he smiled and reached over to take the mantle from over her arm to place it around her shoulders. He tied the bow at her throat and gently lifted the hood to cover her hair.

"Where are we going?" She asked and he just smiled a rakishly cocky smile and winked at her.

"All in good time my love, all in good time." He said tucking her arm into the crook of his elbow and leading her outside.

An open sleigh stood there, a team of white horses, complete with bells on their rigging stood there in the snow. Didymus, resplendent in his own livery tipped his top hat at the couple as they came outside. He held the door open for them and Jareth helped Sarah into the sleigh before he joined her, pulling a thick furry blanket over their legs as Didymus climbed into the coachman's seat. With a whistle and a clicking of his tongue they were off across the fields of snow. Jareth's arm about her shoulders holding her close to his side as he took her to a magical place. A place of romance and dreams, of a living Courier and Ives postcard, she just wanted to cry it touched her heart in ways that hurt it was so sublime.

"No tears precious, they'll freeze on your beautiful face." Jareth whispered in her ear and she just snuggled deeper into his side and warmth and drank in the magic all around her like the finest wine.

"Jareth, I… This is… Thank you." She said softly in wonder, at a loss for words. He turned his head and kissed her brow.

"You're welcome precious, but the night is but young yet." He said as the sleigh turned toward town.

"Where are we headed?" She asked and Jareth laid a finger to the side of his nose and winked.

"That would be spoiling the surprise precious."

Sarah gave up asking, wherever they were going, she was just going to go along with the ride and enjoy every fleeting second of it.

They headed right into the heart of town, People still out an about stopped to stare at them in awe as they passed. Sarah felt flush with joy and excitement as the sleigh stopped in front of City Hall, an old mansion of a building, where several people seemed to be headed. All of them wearing costumes, there was a man in a cow suit with a milk maid on his arm, Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty and Little Bo Peep, Several Snow Whites and Cinderella's on the arms of their respective Princes, a few vampires with their lovely victims on their arms and then Jareth handed her a basket with a gingham checkered cover.

"Little Red Riding Hood, and Mr. Big, Bad, Wolf, in a less than mundane take on the premise." He said with a wink as he climbed out of the carriage and helped her dismount.

"You're crazy." Sarah laughed as she took his arm and they headed inside.

"I prefer eccentric love." He said with a laugh in his voice as they entered the warmth of the building.

A sign in the entryway stated this was the _**25**__**th**__** annual Christmas Dinner and Costume Ball**_ and Jareth produced tickets from his pocket and handed them to the generic fairy at the door.

From there Jareth led Sarah to a table and they took their seats with two other couples. Raggedy Ann and Andy and what looked like Quasimodo and Esmeralda. Sarah reached over to squeeze Jareth's hand.

"Thank you for the Magic, for everything tonight." Sarah said quietly and Jareth squeezed back before kissing the back of her hand.

"Anything for my Precious." He stated as the rest of the guests filtered into the room and catered carts came out to begin serving dinner. Butternut squash and apple soup came first, followed by prime rib, roasted potatoes, and asparagus in a creamy sauce, and then topped with a pumpkin mousse for dessert. It was good, but Sarah had been spoiled by Agnes and so had Jareth, he barely touched his meal.

"Didn't like it?" She asked and Jareth smiled.

"You've eaten Agne's fare, everything else tastes of sawdust. My palette is spoiled. I will live, I ate a little before we came, I planned ahead." He said with a wink, leaving out that mortal food would also make him quite sick to his stomach if he ate more than a few paltry bites for show. The least romantic thing he could think of would be turning green and then losing his mortal dinner on Sarah's dainty little shoes.

The guests were then ushered into a grand ballroom. Where a DJ was set up complete with strobe lights and the music was already loud and obnoxious. Jareth rolled his eyes.

"This is not a ball. What is 'Can't touch this' and 'Hammer Time' supposed to be about? I'm fairly sure I wouldn't want to touch what he's offering. What has music become?" He grumbled and Sarah took his hand.

"I'm not a fan of this song either. We can wait for a slow song; I don't think I could dance fast in this dress anyway. The corset is a little snug." She said and Jareth laughed and waggled his eyebrows.

"I could loosen it for you." He purred and Sarah just poked him in the chest.

"Down Wolf."

"Ah Sarah, you're such a killjoy." Jareth said as they found seats along the wall and sipped sparkling grape juice from plastic fluted cups.

It wasn't long before a good slow and festive Christmas song[1] began to play and Jareth eager and impatient swept her up into his arms and proceeded to turn her world upside down. He spun her like a master across the floor, her skirts whirling around her ankles and people actually cleared the floor for them to watch. Oh it was glorious, it was magical, and they were the only two people in the room. He sang in her ear as they danced his voice velvet and smooth and sending shivers down her spine that had nothing to do with cold and everything to do with the heat building inside her.

The song was far too short but the room exploded into applause when they'd finished dancing and Sarah blushed the color of her gown and Jareth just smiled and bowed to her from the waist before escorting her from the dance floor.

It didn't take long for a host of women to make their way over to Jareth to fawn and simper and some brazenly flirting. Sarah felt a pang of jealousy clench in her gut for a moment before Jareth's hand slipped around her waist and pulled her closer.

"I am flattered ladies, but as you can see I am well spoken for this evening. Every dance is promised to my beautiful lady here beside me. I am sorry to disappoint." He said graciously but making it clear that tonight he was all Sarah's. It was her turn to be flattered with his care and attention.

"Thank you Jareth." She said softly as the women dispersed and he leaned over and kissed her temple.

"Sarah, it would be unseemly and ungentlemanly for me to dance with anyone but you this evening. It is quite clear to those women you and I are here together. It was beyond the height of rudeness for them to presume otherwise." Jareth said leading them back to their seats to sip punch and wait for the next slow song.

It was too long in coming and Jareth frowned. "Pardon me whilst I request our good fellow to play songs fit to dance to. I'll be a moment my dear." Jareth said, making his way to the DJ through the crowd.

Little Miss Muffet, complete with a spider on her bonnet came over to Sarah, she was anything but still a "miss", more like mutton dressed as lamb. "He's a little old for you don't you think little girl?" She asked and Sarah wasn't going to rise to the bait, this woman wanted to make a scene and Sarah was having too much fun to let a jealous slattern ruin it for her.

"Perhaps, perhaps not, I don't see where it concerns you either way." Sarah said quietly, hoping Jareth made it back quickly.

"It concerns me when High School girl virgins date men out of their league. He's only after one thing sweet cheeks; let those of us willing and able to provide those things have him." She said and Sarah looked at her shocked at her brazenness and from behind her she heard Jareth's unmistakable baritone.

"I don't happen to be looking for those sorts of 'services' madam. I rather like a woman with substance, character, and charms over more base and vulgar relationships. Now if you'll excuse us?" Jareth swept past her and took Sarah's hand as the next ballad began to play. He shivered and added for Sarah's ears only. "Not if she were the last woman alive for that matter." He stated and Sarah laughed.

"So do I have substance?" She asked and Jareth grinned.

"Without a doubt."

"Character?"

"Of the most bold and endearing variety."

"And Charms?"

"Indubitably and I am bewitched by them." Jareth replied and Sarah's laugh was like gifts from the heavens as they danced and let the magic of the evening cloak them. Sarah caught sight of Didymus gracing the dance floor with a matronly looking beauty and he winked as he twirled past Jareth and Sarah. He was no slouch in the dance partner arena either. Sarah felt lighter than air and lost in a fairy tale come true yet again. She felt like Cinderella without the pressure of a midnight curfew and unforgiving glass nightmares on her feet. Her red satin slippers were like wearing nothing at all, she could dance all night.

They almost did. It was well after midnight before the Ball ended and couples left for home. Sarah cuddled against Jareth's side in the sleigh all the way home, humming songs and lost in his warm arms, it was a dream and she wasn't about to let it end just yet. Jareth's arms squeezed her gently and his breath was warm in her ear. "Did you enjoy tonight Precious?" He asked tenderly and Sarah looked up dreamily.

"I did, it was magic. You are magic. I feel like a fairy tale princess tonight. Thank you, thank you so very much." She quietly spoke and Jareth tipped her chin up with his gloved fingers.

"If just a princess, I'm not doing my job dearest. Tonight you were a queen. My Queen." He said just as softly as his lips once again claimed hers in an earth shattering kiss. Oh but he had forever to stop kissing her like this, demanding but gentle at the same time. Her world shifted on its axis, her skin tingled, her heart raced and if she didn't keep her head she would drown in him. That was until Didymus not to subtly cleared his throat from the driver's seat.

"Your chaperone is a nuisance." Jareth growled and Didymus chucked.

"Doing my duty for the MAIDEN." Cyril stated, quite clearly stressing 'maiden' and Jareth sat back and chuckled.

"I know, I know. But you cannot blame a man for trying now can you?" He said and then winked at Sarah.

"Yes, I can blame you. You are a devil lad." Cyril grumbled and Sarah just had to giggle. It was funny really. Cyril was grandfather and father looking out for her virtue while Jareth was quite clearly trying his best to conquer her virtue. It made her feel wonderful like the prize in their good natured tug-of-war.

"Your smile tonight is enough." Jareth said tugging her back against his side as they enjoyed the ride home under the stars.

It was nearly two in the morning before they arrived home and Jareth led her up the stairs to her room while Cyril took care of the sleigh and horses. At her door, he turned her and gathered her in his arms and laid another mind numbing kiss upon her. Her arms wound around his neck and pressed tightly together she was in no doubt how much he wanted her. But like a gentleman he sighed as he broke the kiss, visibly shaken. "Precious you turn my world. Now you, turn around for a moment." His voice was rough and full of barely suppressed passion. She turned on wobbly knees and squeaked as she felt him tug at the laces of her corset.

"Jareth!"

"Just loosening them for you I promise. Believe me it's taking every ounce of my will power here precious. You don't want to sleep in this gown and unless I make these loose, you'll be stuck until morning. This sort of fashion was never kind to women without a maidservant handy." Jareth said giving a few good tugs before turning Sarah back around to face him. He laid his forehead against hers, his eyes shining with love.

"Goodnight Precious. I'm glad you had a lovely evening."

"Jareth, I will never forget tonight. Not ever, it was magical and I'll never be able to say thank you enough." She replied closing her eyes and leaning into his embrace.

"I only want to make you happy my love. Sweet Dreams precious." He said pushing open her door.

"They will be." She sighed reluctantly shutting her door, ending a perfect night. There was no longer doubt in her mind, if what she felt wasn't love, it should be. She was spellbound and happier than she had ever been in her life. Her skin tingled, magic was alive and there were men in the world who were romantic and charming and were better than any fairy story ever written.

She slipped out of her dress and laid it over a chair to keep it from wrinkling and pulled on a nightgown and slipped into her bed and Jareth was the last thing on her mind as she drifted off to sleep content and happy and very much head over heels in love.

For the first time in her life, she was looking forward to tomorrow.

Jareth flopped into his bed with a groan; he was on fire, kissing her like that was a mistake, but such a pleasant one, despite the discomfort it left in its wake. Things were progressing nicely; he only hoped he had enough time to prove his devotion before she remembered completely. Let her get to know the man before she remembered the King.

He shut his eyes and let sleep claim him, tomorrow was another day to woo his lady love.

* * *

[1] What else would that Christmas song be? But The Bing Crosby, David Bowie Duet "Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth" it has a good syncopated 4/4 time signature (a rumba beat) you can ballroom dance to and well… come on, it's David Bowie! _(And it just happens to be my personal favorite Christmas Song with two of my favorite singers what's not to like about it?)_ :)

(tbc….)

A special shout out to FaeriesMidwife and Yva J... thank you both for all your wonderful comments and FM for your pointing out I had spelled Didymus incorrectly. Thank you. should be fixed in all chapters now.


	6. Obstupui, Steteruntque Comae

**Chapter 6**

**Obstupui, Steteruntque Comae, et Vox Faucibus Haesi**  
(Latin) "I was astounded, my hair stood on end, and my voice stuck in my throat." - _The Aeneid_ (II, 774 and III, 48) [VIRGIL]

Sarah awoke to yet more magic, there were rose petals scattered over her bed and left in a path toward her door. There was a note tucked under her hand. _**"Please join me when you awaken, follow the petals. Love, Jareth." **_Sarah smiled and sat up and grabbed her robe and ran her fingers through her hair before following the petals. They led across the hall, his bedroom door was open and he was sitting in his own dressing gown, hair delightfully askew in wild abandon and he was sitting at a small table for two with a pot of tea and pastries and fresh cut fruit laid out to share.

"Good morning precious." He said lazily, standing to greet her and she sighed. He decidedly looked edible first thing in the morning. All rumpled and tousled from sleep. His night shirt open to expose his smooth chest, his dressing gown belted loosely around his hips and his linen sleep trousers bunched around his ankles over his cheerful tartan patterned slippers. He looped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer for a gentle embrace.

"Good morning to you. Do you always start the day sweeping girls off their feet?" Sarah asked returning his embrace and resting her cheek against his warm bare chest.

"Just one particular girl." Jareth chuckled kissing the top of Sarah's head.

"I'm flattered."

"You should be," Jareth laughed leaning back and gesturing Sarah should seat herself by pulling out her chair for her.

"I prefer a light breakfast and had hopes you would join me. I have duties I have to see to right after and I will unfortunately not be finished until dinner. I wanted a little time with you before I must away. I hope you don't mind." Jareth said and Sarah smiled.

"Of course I don't mind Jareth. You've done so much for me; I would be selfish to keep you from your duties. Anytime we do have together then means that much more." Sarah replied as Jareth poured tea.

"It does. Thank you precious. It is Christmas Eve and I will try to wrap up my engagements as quickly as I can to spend the evening with you. To pass the time, you are more than welcome to lose yourself in my library. I have a few books that might be of interest to you. They are quite enlightening." He said passing her the pastries.

"I can't imagine a better way to spend the day. I do love getting lost in a good book." Sarah said and Jareth smiled.

"As do I." He said truthfully as they ate quietly. Sarah noting he was not wearing his gloves. He apparently did not sleep in them and eating pastry with gloves on would have been difficult. His fingers were long and elegant, his nails manicured and clean, and almost bone white. They very rarely saw the sun; she could see a marked difference of skin tone from his wrist to his hands. His hands were beautiful and she suddenly longed to feel them on her skin.

He seemed to read her thoughts and smirked at her over his teacup. Damn the man was smug and she was buying what he was selling. She muttered under her breath something that sounded like bastard and devil and a few other choice adjectives, all of them appropriate.

It was in this light mood Cyril came in through the open door and scowled at both their states of improper dress. He quickly escorted Sarah back to her rooms, grumbling about Jareth being the spawn of an Incubus and scolding Sarah that it was unseemly for a lady of breeding and unmarried to keep company with a man in her night attire. Sarah just kissed Didymus on the cheek.

"I adore you. My virtue was quite safe, it was only breakfast my good lord chaperone." She teased and he patted her on her head.

"Your virtue is never safe with that lad about. Though, I must give him credit where it is due. He is showing remarkable restraint. However, until the two of you are wed properly, I am making sure he remains restrained." Didymus said and Sarah coughed.

"Married? Didymus he hasn't even proposed and don't you think it's a bit soon to be talking wedding bells? I've known him just a few days." Sarah said and Cyril just smiled.

"Minutes, days, years, when there is love it knows no impediment and when lost is a wound which never truly heals. I would give you words to think upon my lady. Perhaps in understanding him, you understand his heart." Didymus said and then began reciting a poem.

_**When we two parted**_

_**In silence and tears,**_

_**Half broken-hearted,**_

_**To sever for years,**_

_**Pale grew thy cheek and cold,**_

_**Colder thy kiss;**_

_**Truly that hour foretold**_

_**Sorrow to this.**_

_**The dew of the morning**_

_**Sank chill on my brow**_

_**It felt like the warning**_

_**Of what I feel now.**_

_**Thy vows are all broken,**_

_**And light is thy fame:**_

_**I hear thy name spoken,**_

_**And share in its shame.**_

_**They name thee before me,**_

_**A knell to mine ear;**_

_**A shudder comes o'er me**_

_**Why wert thou so dear?**_

_**They know not I knew thee,**_

_**Who knew thee too well:**_

_**Long, long shall I rue thee**_

_**Too deeply to tell.**_

_**In secret we met**_

_**In silence I grieve**_

_**That thy heart could forget,**_

_**Thy spirit deceive.**_

_**If I should meet thee**_

_**After long years,**_

_**How should I greet thee?**_

_**With silence and tears. **__**[1]**_

Sarah shivered as Didymus fixed his sorrow filled eye upon her. "That my lady is your past, your future your present. But it is changing, growing, rediscovering. Know, feel, and embrace what is before you." Didymus said quietly, leaving Sarah bewildered and contemplative for the rest of the morning.

She sat for a time on the edge of her bed, looking at the sun sparkling on the frost of her windowpane. Then decided, she wasn't going to resolve what Cyril had said in a few minutes and she had to get started with her day. She took a shower and then wrapped in her bathrobe headed to the closet, they had brought her clothes over the day before so thankfully she didn't have to wear her dirty clothes again. However when she opened the closet, she stopped short. She had very little in the way of clothes, a few pairs of jeans, a couple of loose poet shirts, a vest or two, a handful of sweaters and sweatshirts, what greet her was substantially more than what had fit in her tiny closet at home.

This massive walk in closet was full, and she noticed full of clothes that belonged in another century entirely. Gown after gown hung in her closet. From a myriad of eras she noted, A few corseted monstrosities like her red gown from the evening prior, a few that looked like they should be draped on Grecian statues and even more, the majority of them in fact, were empire waist gowns that came right out of the pages of a Jane Austen novel. It appeared one Mr. King had a liking for things decidedly not the norm, or of the current century. They were all beautiful and each dress was probably worth more than she'd ever earn in a year working at the bookstore. There were stockings and shoes and soft chemises and petticoats and everything a woman needed, if that woman was named Elinor Dashwood or Jane Eyre that was, Sarah frowned.

"Am I a doll to play dress up? What on earth? I can just see me going to school looking like Elizabeth Bennet, honestly they think I'm odd enough as it is. It's one thing to prance around in costumes at a ball or in the park, but every day?" Sarah talked to herself, rolling her eyes.

It was Christmas Eve however, and she wasn't going anywhere, and she loved a good dress as much as the next girl did. "I'll humor you today Mr. King." Sarah said pulling down a lovely white gown, embroidered with golden threads with a lacy embellishment along the modest neck line and along the cap sleeves. It had a matching shawl to toss over her shoulders to keep out the chill. Once dressed, Sarah had to admit, she felt beautiful for a change. There was just something about a finely made dress that made your boobs look great and flattered your figure that made a girl want to stand a little taller and preen.

She went to her vanity to comb her hair, and found a box sitting there that she had not noticed before. It was a jewelry box of sorts and inside was enough hair accessories to go with every single outfit in her closet. "He thinks of everything. He must own a stage company to have so many costumes lying about. These certainly don't look like cheap stage craft things however. These had better be glass gems and not real diamonds, Jareth." Sarah muttered fitting a headband onto head that matched the dress she was wearing. If they were real, she'd be terrified. The headband alone would be worth a small king's ransom let alone the other flashy clips, tiaras, bands and broaches that were gleaming at her in that box.

"I haven't played dress up in years." Sarah laughed at herself in the mirror and she inspected herself one final time. "I never had anything this nice." She added, grinning like the Cheshire Cat before heading downstairs. Cyril was reading a book in the parlor and smiled at her appreciatively as she entered the room.

"My dear, you look lovely." He said and Sarah twirled for him.

"I feel like it. Does Jareth own a theater troupe or something? Where did he get all those crazy dresses?" She asked and Cyril maddeningly just shrugged.

"Forget I asked. I have some gift wrapping to do and I forgot to buy wrapping paper yesterday. Do you have any?" She asked switching gears and Cyril closed his book and stood.

"We do, come with me." He said leading her to a closet in the hall. Inside were all sorts of wrappings and trappings for just about every festive season.

"Oh wonderful!" Sarah squealed, selecting a few rolls, ribbons, and bows and headed back to her room to wrap her gifts for the others.

Once finished, she returned the paper and ribbons to the closet, took the opportunity of being alone with the Christmas stockings to stuff the money she had left far down in the toe of Jareth's, and then carefully placed her gifts under the beautiful tree they had decorated yesterday. There were quite a few presents under the tree that morning and far too many of them had her name on them.

"He's going to spoil me. Honestly." Sarah sighed as Hoggle shuffled into the room.

"That's what King's do Missy, although his presents can be questionable." Hoggle grumbled setting freshly chopped wood next to the fireplace.

"Good morning Hoggle." Sarah said to the grumpy man as he stacked firewood in the antique brass fire basket next to the hearth.

"And to you Sarah, stay inside today, temperature outside has dropped you'd freeze yer pretty toes off in that get up." Hoggle said dusting his hands off on his trousers.

"Sound advice, thank you. I was just going to read a little today anyway." Sarah said as Hoggle adjusted his cap and fidgeted.

"Sarah, he's not been mean to ya has he?" He asked concerned and Sarah looked taken aback.

"No, he's been lovely to me. Why?" She asked wondering why Hoggle was looking so upset.

"It's nothin', just… well… I'm just concerned for ya is all. Jareth can be… intimidating." He said and Sarah smiled.

"I'm sure he can be I can see that potential in him. Honestly though Hoggle, he's been nothing but a gentleman towards me. He's been wonderful and kind and has made me feel like a queen these past few days. I'm very happy." Sarah said and Hoggle nodded.

"Good. Just checkin'." Hoggle said with a grunt before stomping out of the room.

"Strange." Sarah sighed, wondering why Hoggle didn't trust Jareth. There was a history between those two that was for certain.

Whatever it was Sarah wasn't going to concern herself with it on Christmas Eve, there was a library calling her name somewhere in the manor and she was going to explore it thoroughly. With a spring in her step, she went in search.

Her search yielded its quarry and Sarah gasped in delight. It was a scholar's dream. Books lined shelves floor to ceiling and when you're dealing with two story ceilings that was a whole mess of books. She had no idea what she was going to read seeing as she was suddenly spoiled for choice. She decided to let fate decide and she trailed her fingers along beautiful spines in rich leathers until a bright blue bound volume caught her eye and her fingers alighted and she pulled it from the shelf. It was entitled "The Aos Sí, The Lore of the Sidhe" she had always meant to read that book, they had a copy of it in the bookstore, but not nearly as nice as the one in her hand. Jareth's looked to be a first edition hardback. So Sarah settled into a large overstuffed chair, sat very unladylike with her legs draped over one arm with her back against the other armrest and her head resting lightly on the back of the chair. Perfect reading position, with the book propped up on her lap, she began to flip through the pages, stopping here and there to read a passage that caught her eye next to illustrations and woodcuttings that were beautifully detailed.

_**The Sidhe it is said are quite cruel and equally affectionate by mortal standards, loving games and trysts to pass the long hours of seemingly immortal existences. Love is an emotion however, they can feel only once and once they love it is eternal. When a sidhe loses his or her true love, they often times fade away into nothingness. It is death to a sidhe to lose their love. Creatures who live for thrills often find that love, the strongest of emotions, is their downfall or their salvation. **_

Sarah smiled, it was romantic if a little fatalistic. She flipped the page to see a Sidhe couple holding a babe in their arms, little Goblins around their feet carrying items that would belong to a baby.

_**The Sidhe do not breed well, it is perhaps a boon for creatures that live such long lives. If they bred as mortals, the underground lands of the Sidhe would become overpopulated quickly. That does not however make them long or children any less. The Sidhe adore children and the few births that happen among their kind are met with great joy and celebration. For others, who find they cannot conceive, they often adopt unwanted mortal children. Contrary to myth and popular belief the Sidhe do not steal children from mortals, nor lure them away with song. Those mortals who come to the underground are the unwanted, the wished away children, the abused and neglected. It is the timeless duty of the Protector of the Unwanted, a Sidhe not of Seelie or Unseelie but of the wild magic, to collect these poor children from lives of sorrow. He offers one chance at redemption to the mortals who wish away their children. They run the Labyrinth, a test designed to show those who run its paths the true nature of their souls. They must face their fears, fight against a mirror of themselves to reclaim their children. All fail and most never come out alive again. It is the nature of their own souls that destroy them. For any mortal to wish harm to their own children, find they visit a worse fate upon themselves in the end. The children are then healed if needed and made into changelings and given to Sidhe couples to raise as their own, to be loved and cherished.**_

Sarah shivered something was now gnawing at her, her stomach clenched. Why did she suddenly feel she had just learned something incredibly important? She turned the page and all the blood drained from her face, there staring at her from a book was Jareth and Sir Didymus. It was unmistakable, it was them, dressed in garments centuries old. In Jareth's hand was a crystal orb and in Cyril's a crystal sword.

_**The Goblin King, the protector of the Unwanted, Master Weaver of Dreams and Lord of the Labyrinth. Of all the aos sí in the underground, he is the most mercurial and the one with the most contact with mortals. He is neither a part of the Seelie or Unseelie, he is the balance between good and evil, darkness and light. He is the scale of justice for the Sidhe when it comes to their dealings with mortals. It is his ancient duty to collect the unwanted from mortal lands. He is the Sidhe called upon to create changelings and bring children who have been wished away to the underground realms of the daoine sídhe. Be careful what you wish for, he just may grant your wish. Nothing however comes without a price and the cost is always dear when dealing with The Goblin King. Legend says that the Goblin King created his Labyrinth to punish the greedy, ensnare the wicked, and test the merit of the mortal souls who wish away their children. Only one wholly unselfish and pure of spirit will survive the test and gain their dreams. No one has ever entered the Labyrinth and come out alive. But then again, anyone as heartless as to wish away a child are unlikely to defeat a test designed to expose him or her for what they truly are within.**_

The scream died in Sarah's throat as all her buried memories came flooding back to her in one fell swoop. Toby, how she had wished him away out of misplaced sorrow, her running the Labyrinth, Hoggle, Sir Didymus, as a fox no less and Ludo. Jareth, the peach, the dance where she realized she was attracted to him, barely fifteen. The battle and then, oh god, his words in the ruins of the Escher room. The look of utter despair on his face as she said the words that ended the test ended the game. In order to save Toby, she had to destroy him! The pain in her stomach was agony, she had been so cruel. How he must hate her. She was sure it was his turn now to play with and then break a heart. She deserved that, it was nothing less than she had done to him.

She was such a horrible person, no wonder everyone left her, she drove them all away with her cruelty. Her heart twisted in her chest. Oh his revenge was sweet indeed as her heart shattered. He won; he had all the power over her he could ever hope to achieve. He always had. She couldn't bear it anymore, she had lost everything but this one, this last magical hope she had finally found someone that loved her at last was a bitter pill to swallow. She was broken, she had seen her soul and found it wanting. She was so very unworthy of anything.

Her depression consumed her, the tears streamed down her cheeks as she stood. The book tumbling to the floor. She had to leave… forever. She couldn't bear it any longer, there was only so low a human could fall before they broke. She had finally reached her breaking point. She hurt everything she touched, the world was better off without her.

She walked to the front door and silently left everything behind. The frigid air cut like knives across her skin and within minutes the satin slippers on her feet were soaked and she could no longer feel her feet, but she walked on, blind to everything around her, her body as frozen as her heart and her mind. It was over now; it wasn't far to the river from here. No one would ever miss her; even Toby would forget her in time.

_**JARETH OUR QUEEN IS IN MORTAL DANGER!**_

Jareth stopped what he was doing, going over end of year reports for the kingdom and seeing to last minute disputes. The Labyrinth very rarely spoke to him directly, the wild magic was more sentient than not but even so deigned very infrequently to converse. It emoted rather than spoke; it sent terror and fear into Jareth's body that nearly knocked him out cold.

"Where is she?" He asked, conjuring a crystal and watched in horror as she stood on a single lane bridge over a swollen and frozen river. She jumped and Jareth's world fell down around him as he vanished from his castle, praying he was going to be in time, he'd reorder time if he had to, and the consequences be damned.

(To Be Continued…)

[1] "When We Two are Parted" – a poem by Lord Byron 1788-1824

Author's Apology:

AHHH Evil Cliffhanger don't shoot the author please! And you're gonna hate that it's probably not going to be until after Thanksgiving for the next update. I'm being invaded by family and I'm cooking the feast so time will be short. Which is also why this chapter is shorter than the others are, it was a good place to end it and still give you something before the Holiday.


	7. You’ll Find Someone True

**Chapter 7**

**You'll Find Someone True**

"CYRIL! HOGGLE! I NEED YOU NOW!" Jareth's frantic call came from the foyer. Both men rushed to the door only to find Jareth carrying an unconscious Sarah, both of them drenched to the skin, garments sodden and dripping.

Jareth looked beside himself as he stumbled in the door. "Cyril, draw a warm bath, not too hot, for her now, Hoggle go fetch blankets and get a bed warmer in her bed." Jareth ordered following Cyril and Hoggle up the stairs, carrying his precious burden.

Magic was incredibly useful in times of need and within moments the bath was filled with warm water and Jareth stepped in, clothes and all, with Sarah. Holding her in the water and whispering words into her ear as he rocked her in the bath.

"Sire what happened?" Cyril asked keeping the temperature of the bath warm and slowly increasing the temperature so that her body would not go into shock.

"I don't know." Jareth's voice was pained. "One minute I'm going over treasury reports the next the Labyrinth is telling me she's in mortal danger. Cyril I watched her try to commit suicide!" Jareth choked on his last words, he was an emotional wreck and barely keeping his own composure.

"I watched her jump off the bridge into the river. I got there not a moment too soon. She had just plunged under the surface and I went in after her. That's all I know." Jareth said trying to get Sarah to respond. She was lifeless, but alive and shivering terribly.

"This may be the culprit." Agnes said from the door, holding the book in her hands. "I found it on the library floor; it was open to the picture of you and Cyril. I think the lass may have triggered her memories." Agnes said coming in and looking at Jareth.

"You need to go change into dry clothes sire and she needs out of that dress. Both you men out, my girls and I can see to her." Agnes said followed by her maids.

"I am not leaving her." Jareth growled and Agnes fixed him with a glare.

"You will boy. You'll do her no good weakening yerself as well. Go get dry, go get her bed warmed, we can handle her." Agnes ordered and with great reluctance but seeing the wisdom in the crone's words Jareth complied.

By the time he returned, they had Sarah's shivering stopped and while she was still blue, her color was returning. Miriam, one of the maids, gave Jareth a rueful smile. "I've got some healing gifts sire; she will be alright you got to her in time. She just needs to warm now, she awake soon enough. However Sire, her feet, I'm afraid she's suffered some frostbite walking through snow in slippers. She must stay off her feet until they heal. I've done what I can, but it will take a few days to properly mend." She said softly, scurrying back into the bathroom with one of Sarah's nightgowns in her hand.

Jareth sighed and conjured a crystal. "Show me her awakening." He commanded and he saw her sitting in the chair in the library reading and then he watched her face drain of all color and her eyes widen as memories began crashing down upon her. He saw her pain, her regret, her sudden self-loathing cloak her like a shroud.

"Oh precious, you blame yourself for everything don't you? Your mother's amour propre, your father's apathy and then his rancor, your step-mother's jealousy and umbrage, my errors in judgment in trying to keep you, faults of others dearest. Mine included. But suicide, what was going through your mind precious?" Jareth sighed as he was called to come carry Sarah to bed.

Cyril and Hoggle were pacing the floor, as Jareth laid her in bed and crawled in with her. "What do you think you are doing?" Cyril gasped and Jareth fixed him with a look that well nigh defied description.

"Do not gainsay me old man. I am going to keep her warm and make sure she doesn't make a second attempt by jumping out her window! Since apparently none of you can watch over a slip of a girl for an afternoon without her fleeing into the gates hell. Goodnight and get out. Post guards on all the doors." Jareth ordered, it was a dismissal and Sir Didymus knew when to hold his tongue. Jareth was in no mood to be argued with and he was right.

-----------

Sarah's feet were throbbing and the pain woke her. She was disorientated and something was wrapped around her waist. She opened her eyes; the room was dark but bathed in the light of the full moon. She was nose to nose with the Goblin King, it was his arm wrapped firmly around her waist, and he was asleep. The moon bathed him in its light, making his fair hair shimmer like silver where it lay disheveled on the pillow and framing his face like a halo of starlight. He was so very beautiful and no longer wearing a human glamour, his ears were decidedly not human and his skin almost glowed in the moonlight.

Memories, painful, horrible memories came back to taunt her, she had jumped from the bridge, she had felt the water knock the air from her lungs just as she heard the screech of a barn owl overhead. He had saved her. Why? She shifted to try to get up, but his arm tightened around her and his eyes opened.

"You are not going anywhere precious. You need to calm yourself, you are not thinking clearly and you are injured." Jareth said leaning up on his elbow to look down upon her. He was angry and upset and there were a host of other emotions rampaging in his mismatched eyes.

"Why? Why!? Don't you hate me enough? I'm so sorry." Sarah sobbed, wanting to flee, to escape the pain in his eyes. Pain she was certain was all her fault.

She felt his fingers trace her face, ungloved they tingled upon her skin, the magic was electric and humming along her every nerve. "Beloved, nothing in this world, above or underground could make me hate you. Why would I ever be angry with you for making the right choice? I was unfair to you when we last met. Never before had I met a mortal with a soul as pure as yours, never have I known a spirit so selfless. Sarah you place blame on your shoulders when it is not your burden to bear." Jareth began softly, running his fingers through her hair to calm the frightened mouse in his arms.

"Everyone, including me, has spoken words they did not mean. I am bound however by magic more ancient than you can comprehend to answer a wish summons. Whether the words are meant or not, you were the first person to, honestly and truly, not mean her words. You may have said them, but your love was greater than your pain. The moment you set foot in the Labyrinth, you won the game." Jareth said and Sarah's eyes widened.

"What?" She asked confused and Jareth smiled at her.

"The Labyrinth actually shuddered when you stepped into it, I felt it, and I am connected to the Labyrinth in a very physical and mental sense. I know everything that happens and the Labyrinth is alive in a way Sarah, it feels, and when it touched your soul it rejoiced. It then touched me and then it was my turn to rejoice, you turned my world. I had grown so jaded and you restored my hope in mortals." Jareth continued, drawing lazy circles on her arm with his finger.

"The Labyrinth is different for everyone Sarah. Because the Labyrinth is made up of a person's deepest fears, their hidden feelings and you frankly confused the magic. You were so pure, yet you were dark in so many places in your mind. Your penchant for blaming yourself for everything turned the magic of the Labyrinth in upon itself. You forced the Labyrinth to challenge you, because you felt you deserved punishment even though you had done nothing wrong. The Labyrinth obeyed you and you created your own obstacles. I watched you, frankly dumbfounded for a time, and then as I watched I learned about you and I fell in Love Sarah, utterly and irrevocably." Jareth said leaning over to place a tender kiss upon her brow. She shivered but remained silent, a few tears running down her cheeks that Jareth swiped away with his fingertips.

"You were so young and I was beyond foolish. I made some very real errors in judgment Sarah. Once a fifteen year old girl was already a married woman and more than likely already a mother as well. But times had changed and you were not mature enough to understand. I threw you into situations that confused you more than wooed you. I was used to dealing with more seasoned women and for that I am truly sorry. I should have never given you that peach nor should I have exposed you to that ballroom. It frightened you." Jareth said and looked pained before continuing.

"I wanted you so badly, I wasn't thinking clearly. Sarah, my kind, we can only fall in love once, do you know this?" He asked and Sarah nodded slowly, understanding beginning to light in her eyes.

"I had waited so long for you, I would have done anything to keep you, and I lied. I regret it with every fiber of my being. I should have told you Toby was free the moment you set foot in the Labyrinth, I should have just sent you both back, gotten on my knees and begged you to come back with me. But no, I had to go and offer you a choice you could never make without regrets. You chose the only way you could, you chose your brother. I was willing to wait for you to wish me back into your life, once you understood, once you grew up. But something changed. I hurt you too deeply. Because I knew how you blamed yourself for things and I had inadvertently given you yet another thing to blame yourself for, you shut out magic, shut out your dreams, you died inside and it was all my fault. I took the only thing that made you happy away from you; I took magic out of your life." Jareth said his voice breaking as he pulled her closer.

"I'm so sorry precious, I drove you to this. Please, please beloved forgive me." His voice was ragged as he buried his face in her hair. He was weeping. The Goblin King was weeping!

Sarah's arms encircled him as he wept into her hair. A piece of her soul seemed to mend in that moment.

"Jareth, this is not your fault. I thought… I don't know what I was thinking. I've been so foolish. Can you forgive me?" She asked and Jareth just shook his head and buried his face in the crook of her neck and shoulder.

"There is nothing to forgive Precious. Just do not leave me, I couldn't bear it Sarah, I will die without you." He murmured and Sarah shivered. The words she'd read earlier about Sidhe fading away when love was lost hit her like a ton of bricks. Had she succeeded in killing herself, she would have killed him too.

"Oh, OH! Jareth, I'm so sorry." She said again, her own tears falling now in earnest. He kissed her neck and pulled her closer, as if he could crawl under her very skin if he got close enough.

"Shhhh. Enough now Sarah, it is over and I am more than content to let this moment die and remain in the past. We have forever ahead of us my love and it is late and you need more rest yet so you can recover." Jareth said snuggling into her and letting peace settle between them. Enough tears had been shed and enough pain was endured for one night. She snuggled against his chest, letting out a shuddering sigh as the last of her tears faded.

"Can I ask you one more question? Why did you come here now and pretend to be Jareth King?" Sarah asked and Jareth smiled into her hair.

"That's a two part question precious. First, we have to thank your brother. Since you were so frustratingly refusing to make wishes, he made one in your stead." Jareth began telling her about Toby's innocent and wonderfully vague wish.

"He's such a darling." Sarah said, missing Toby terribly all of sudden.

"Yes he is. As to Why I let you believe I was mortal. You had blocked out Magic love, I wanted to ease you back into it, as well as let you see the man I am. Not the King, but me and only me without masks or games getting in the way, I may be a King, but I'm also just a man, a man who loves you very much. I wanted to court you properly, woo you as a woman should be wooed, for no other reason than I cherish you more than life itself. I cannot say it enough how much I love you, precious." He said kissing her brow tenderly.

"I love you, too." Sarah sighed softly, making a few more tears leak from Jareth's eyes softly. But those were tears of joy, it was the first time she had told him she loved him in return. Forever looked beautiful at last.

---------

When morning finally arrived with the sun, Sarah's whimpering in her sleep awoke Jareth. He gently nudged her awake. "Are you in pain Precious?" He asked, smoothing the hair from her face.

"My feet are throbbing." She moaned and Jareth sat up and went to the door where Goblin guards stood.

"Go fetch Miriam. We are in need of her healing services. Be quick." Jareth ordered returning to Sarah's side, helping her to sit.

"You have frostbite on your feet precious; you are not to stand until Miriam says you can. I will carry you today." Jareth said as Miriam, hurried into the room in her dressing gown.

"Oh mistress, you are looking so much better than yester'eve. Quite a fright you gave all of us." The pretty young maid said. Her auburn curls poking out of a sleeping bonnet. She was obviously not a Sidhe, but not a goblin either. She looked mortal but obviously was not.

She seemed to notice Sarah's questioning look and she smiled. "I'm a changeling mistress. I was born Mortal like you. A very long time ago, my father wished me away and his majesty rescued me. The couple who raised me, I love very much. You met my mother Agnes." Miriam said with a wink. "It turned out, I had a latent gift for healing, I'm not a true healer because I am not Sidhe born, but it works for easing pain." Miriam said laying her hands on Sarah's feet. The pain immediately began to fade.

"Oh that is so much better. I didn't know you were Agnes' daughter." Sarah said and Miriam grinned.

"Normally babes are given to Sidhe parents, but Agnes took care of me those first few days, I was near death when His Majesty saved me, and well she loved me and he let her keep me. My father sadly passed about a hundred years ago." Miriam said and Sarah's eyes widened.

"How old are you? You look no older than me." Sarah said and Miriam laughed.

"I turned five hundred and three last week." Miriam grinned impishly and Sarah's jaw dropped.

"Enough now, Miriam, I think I can take it from here lass." Jareth said with a smile and Miriam curtsied and dashed out of the room.

"Wow, she looks great for being ancient." Sarah said and Jareth laughed heartily.

"Hardly ancient Love." Jareth said sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I'm afraid to ask how old you are." Sarah said and Jareth grinned devilishly.

"In mortal years, I'd say I'm in my late twenties to mid-thirties physically. It's a rather hard thing to judge for the Sidhe. We live quite a long time. I look older above ground with the lack of magic in the air. I'm rather spry in my element." Jareth hedged and winked while waggling his eyebrows suggestively and Sarah frowned at him.

"In Sidhe years?" She asked and Jareth shrugged.

"To be honest love, I lost count a very long time ago. A Very, very long time, I was well into manhood when the Roman's viewed us as Gods and King Minos tried in vain to copy my Labyrinth." Jareth winked and Sarah groaned.

"I'm sorry I asked." Sarah said and Jareth just tucked her hair behind her ears.

"Best get used to it Sarah. I'm decidedly, what is it you mortals say? 'Robbing the cradle'?" Jareth teased and Sarah laughed.

"That's putting it mildly. So what happens now?" Sarah asked and Jareth grinned.

"Now, we get you in your dressing gown and head downstairs. It is the first day of twelfth night and there are presents to be opened awaiting us." Jareth quipped, looking happy as he grabbed her robe and slipped it over her shoulders before picking her up and carrying her down the stairs.

He set her on the chaise and propped pillows behind her and covered her legs with a thick blanket. He was also still in his night attire, looking wonderfully unkempt as Cyril looking put together has usual entered the room.

"Did we not have a discussion about modes of dress yesterday morning?" He asked teasingly as he bent over to kiss Sarah's head. "You frightened us young lady. How do you feel this morning?" He asked and Sarah smiled at him.

"Better. I'm sorry." She said and Jareth snorted.

"I thought we went through this Sarah, no more apologizing love. She's fine you old goat, stop hovering." Jareth scolded and Cyril fixed him with a stare.

"So says the man glued to her side last night." Cyril teased but sat in a chair beside Sarah just the same.

"You both are guilty of being overly protective. Let the missy breathe." Hoggle said shuffling into the room and he just winked at Sarah before going over to stoke the fire.

Jareth just shook his head as he bent to pick up a small box from under the tree, walking over to Sarah and kneeling beside her he handed her the box. "I think this one should come first." He said and Sarah eyed him dubiously but accepted the gift and opened it, and then gasped. It was quite obviously an engagement ring. A tiny pearl sized crystal was at the center, surrounded by a myriad of diamonds, it looked like a crystal flower in full bloom and was shining like stars as the light was reflected and Jareth smiled as he took the ring from the box and still kneeling beside Sarah, asked the question every girl lived to hear from the man she loved.

"Sarah, I would formally like to ask you for your hand in marriage. You are the air I breathe, the sun that lights my day and the moon that shines upon me as I dream. Without you I am incomplete, a King without his Queen. You humble me, you challenge me, you delight me, and you are my equal in every way. I ask you, nay, I beg you to plight your troth with me. Say me 'Aye' precious." Jareth asked and Sarah's eyes blurred with tears as her heart exploded with joy.

"Aye." Her voice trembled as she held out her hand. Jareth slipped the ring upon her finger and leaned over and kissed her, and kissed her and kissed her some more. That was until Cyril cleared his throat pointedly.

"Go Away, I am kissing my betrothed." Jareth grumbled and Cyril reached over and knocked him in the back of the head.

"Betrothed, not wife yet." Cyril said and Jareth laughed and leaned back.

"Sarah should I throw him in the bog?" Jareth asked and it was Sarah's turn to laugh.

"If I remember correctly he's the only one who can't smell it, I don't think the threat will work on him." Sarah said and Didymus laughed.

"I could smell just fine, pretending I couldn't was the difficult part while also trying to maintain the illusion I was a short furry fox. You my lady are quite impressive with your creativity and imagination." Cyril said winking his good eye as Jareth made his way back to the tree and passed out presents as Agnes joined them bringing in tea and pastries.

"Eat between presents you lot." She said and was taken aback that Sarah had bought her a gift.

She cackled like the hobgoblin she was and immediately put her apron on.

"Sarah, what did I tell you about her ego? She doesn't need help in that department." Jareth said pinching the bridge of his nose as Agnes preened.

"Like you're any better? Hello Mr. Kettle Black, call me Mr. Pot." Sarah asked and Jareth pretended to look affronted.

"That's different." He said and Sarah laughed.

"In your dreams." She replied as Jareth found the money in the toe of his stocking.

"Sarah Williams! If you were not already in pain, I'd tan your bottom! Do I have to staple this money to your person?" Jareth asked waving the wad of cash at her.

"I'm not freeloading." She said and Jareth once again was pinching the bridge of his noise.

"Sarah, I am a bloody King. I think I'm a capable of taking care of the needs of my wife to be. I do not considering taking care of you, freeloading. I call it my bloody duty as your future husband. Insufferable woman, I liked it better when women expected their men to provide for them instead of this modern woman's notion of 'liberation'. Keep your money Sarah." Jareth said dropping the money in her lap with a look that said she'd better drop the subject.

She did, wisely, no sense in arguing on Christmas after all.

Hoggle loved his sun catcher and Didymus immediately poured tea into his new mug with a twinkle in his eye and then Jareth came to his present.

He unwrapped it carefully and then just sat there staring at it for a long time. "Sarah, where did you get this?" He asked, obviously touched and fighting hard not to show his emotions to Cyril and Hoggle.

"At a little store in the mall. It reminded me of you, now I know why. It is you. My subconscious knew what I couldn't remember." Sarah said as Jareth walked over to kiss her soundly.

"Apparently, I love it, I will Cherish it." He said and meant it. It was the first gift his love had given him and it was a remarkable likeness. The Artist even got the colors right on his breast feathers. This was not made by mortal hands; the artist had to be a Sidhe living in the mortal realm. It was too accurate to be coincidence.

The room was covered in discarded wrappings and trappings and Sarah was buried in presents. Her engagement ring had been followed by a book from Didymus, a pretty pair of plastic spangle earrings from Hoggle. A huge batch of fudge from Agnes that Jareth was shamelessly dipping his fingers into when he thought she wasn't looking, and the last gift was a large crystal globe from Jareth.

"Look into it." He said and Sarah could see Toby, sitting on the floor in his grandparent's house opening his presents and looking adorable. Santa had been good to him this year.

"You can watch over him whenever you desire it. This will show you whatever you wish to see Sarah. It will show you those you love when you need to see them and they are away. It is how I watched you these past years." Jareth said and Sarah cried.

"Thank you. Will Toby be all right? Will I ever see him after?" She asked and Jareth smiled.

"Love, I don't think it will be long before that tyke wishes himself away to you. You are more his mother than his own, he knows it and I know it. When the time comes Sarah, he will come to you. He is a bit distracted at the moment with toys." Jareth said as he handed her a bit of his sleeve to wipe her eyes.

"Do you think so?" She asked and he nodded.

"I'd wager my castle on it I'm that sure. No more tears precious." Jareth said kissing both her cheeks.

"When do we go? Can I finish High School first?" Sarah asked and Jareth sighed.

"I'd rather marry you, at least in the underground as soon as possible. I'm not a saint Sarah, nor a paragon of patience. However, I can concede with your desire to finish your education. A compromise if you will. We go back to marry, we come back here to live until you finish school. Can you abide by this agreement?" He asked and Sarah smiled and nodded.

"I can. When do you want to get married?" Sarah said and Jareth glowed.

"Is the first Day of the New Year too soon for you?" Jareth asked and Sarah smiled.

"Wow, that is fast but no, I have a closet full of pretty dresses to wear." She said and Jareth grinned like a snake.

"There is only one gown I want to see you in that day Precious. I'm sure you know which one I mean. I dressed you in it once before." Jareth purred and Sarah shivered.

"I know the one. It was a wedding dress then?" She asked and Jareth nodded.

"Aye precious it was. I knew then what I wanted and I was not very subtle about it. We were both wearing wedding attire." Jareth said and Sarah shook her head.

"You never do anything by halves do you?" She asked and Jareth winked.

"Not if I can help it precious." He replied kicking his feet up and leaning back in his chair looking all together far too smug and like a man who always got what he wanted.

-------

(to be continued…)

So I lied, I found myself suffering some insomnia (That happens frequently) and I whipped this out to make up for the evil cliffhanger from chapter 6… but this probably really will be the last update until after the Holiday. Just a couple of chapters left give or take, wrapping this tale up now… Got a wedding to cover and this isn't rated "M" for nothing… Jareth will get his nookie before this tale is through. I'd be afraid NOT to give his NIBS some action actually. ;)


	8. Blood Ties and DNA Don’t Lie

**Chapter 8**

**Blood Ties and DNA Don't Lie**

Sarah sat watching her crystal in her lap while the goblins were enlisted to pick up the paper from the floor while Jareth lounged with his snow globe and Cyril sipped tea from his mug. "Jareth?" Sarah looked up at her betrothed and he smiled.

"Yes love?"

"Can this show me my father? My real father?" she asked and Jareth nodded.

"If you want to know who the man is, aye, just ask it to show you." Jareth came to squat beside her as she steeled her resolve to solve a mystery.

"Please, show me my real father." She asked quietly and Toby's image faded to be replaced by a handsome man who appeared to be sculpting clay at a work bench. He was tall, lanky with a shock of red hair and sage green eyes, Sarah's eyes. Suddenly Jareth was laughing.

"What's funny?" She asked and he grinned.

"Ask Cyril to take a look." Was all Jareth could muster and Cyril stood, peered over her shoulder and promptly collapsed unceremoniously upon his arse on the floor.

"I'll be hornswaggled!" He muttered and Sarah glared at them both.

"Well, who is he?" She asked and Cyril smiled.

"That would be my son, Atherton, Granddaughter. I always thought you had eyes like my good wife. It seems they are indeed hers, since she also gave them to our son too." Cyril said reaching up to cup Sarah's cheek.

"Granddaughter? Really?" She asked almost giddy with shock.

"So it would seem." Jareth said grinning and then conjuring a crystal. "Atherton, your King wishes your presence. Do be a good chap and come post haste. Be prepared for a rather large surprise." Jareth said winking into the crystal before it vanished.

"Does he know where to come?" Sarah asked and Jareth smiled.

"Atherton and I are good friends Sarah. He'll know just to accept the crystal; it will bring him to me wherever I am." Jareth said returning to his chair.

"Wait, if my father is Sidhe why am I not?" Sarah asked and Jareth smiled at her.

"Simply because your mother was above ground her entire pregnancy and you have been raised in a world bereft of any decent magic love. Once you are underground for any decent length of time you'll feel your sidhe blood. You may even inherit some magic of your own in time." Jareth said and Cyril nodded.

"We are however lesser sidhe my dear, our powers are limited in comparison to his majesty's. For instance your father and I cannot conjure crystals or reorder time. But we do have a power that the king does not, we are not bound by the ancient magic so traveling between the under and above ground is easier for us. We do not have to wait for a summons." Cyril said and Jareth nodded.

"True, but then again you also do not have enough power to alter human affairs so the magic does not bind you." Jareth finished as a man who was indeed just a younger version of Cyril appeared in the living room covered in clay dust.

"What is the matter Sire? You called?" Atherton asked and Jareth grinned.

"I did my friend. Please be seated and try not to get dust on my furniture." Jareth teased and Atherton looked apologetic.

"You caught me in the middle of a project. I am rather dusty. Hello Papa." He laughed and greeted his father as he sat down.

"I have rather unexpected and big news for you. Cyril catch him if he faints." Jareth said, almost wickedly gleeful in his demeanor.

"Why would I faint? What are you hiding Jareth?" Atherton asked him dubiously and Jareth gestured to Sarah who was white knuckled with nervousness as she clutched her globe in her lap.

"Do you see this ravishing creature? I'd like to introduce you to my betrothed, Sarah. I would also like to introduce you to your daughter, Sarah." Jareth purred and Atherton swayed for a moment, but did not faint. He only looked at Sarah as if Jareth had just told him he was now the owner of the entire universe.

"My… daughter? Truly?" He asked, almost speechless and afraid this was all some horrible joke.

"Aye son. Her mother was Linda Williams. Do you remember her?" Cyril asked and Atherton just nodded, tears forming in his eyes as he walked over to kneel beside Sarah. He took her hands in his and looked deeply into her eyes.

"I remember. It was just a few weeks, I hadn't known she was married and when I did find out, honor made me sever the relationship. I didn't know, I never knew. You, you have my eyes." Atherton spoke softly, overwhelmed.

Sarah returned his gaze, her own eyes misting over. "I know. I only found out Robert Williams was not my father a few months ago myself, I hate to spring this on you, I don't expect anything, I just, I just wanted to know who my real father was." Sarah began to ramble and Atherton just reached up and tucked her hair behind her ears.

"Sarah, my beautiful girl. How could I be anything but overjoyed to know I have a child of my own? I only wish I had known long ago, how much I have missed. I have lived so close to you all this time and may have passed my own flesh on the street a dozen times or more. I pray you will let me be the father I should have been from the start my sweet girl." He said tears falling now. Sarah could only nod and she tentatively reached out to hug her father. He cried in earnest as he clutched her tightly.

Cyril, rather teary himself touched Atherton's shoulder. "A word in private a moment my son. Things you should know while you get cleaned up and stop making our Sarah dusty with your clay." Cyril said leading Atherton out of the room. Jareth handed Sarah a tissue to dry her eyes while they waited.

While Atherton changed into some of his father's clothes, Cyril told him about Sarah's life and especially the most recent shunning and abuse from the Williams'.

"I'll render him with my bloody sword! How dare they leave my child to die!" Atherton was furious and Cyril just laid a hand to his arm.

"Calm my son. You have your mother's temper. Right now Sarah is dealing with emotional woes we have only begun to mend. She will need us all right now; she is still under the age of majority in this world. We will have to take legal steps to lay claim to her officially else the Williams' can force authorities to fetch her back to them while they are her legal guardians. We have just a week to get legal matters in order and prove you are her father. Not to mention His Majesty wishes to wed her upon the New Year." Cyril said and Atherton choked.

"He bloody will not! Not in a week he won't. Not until my daughter is eighteen and not a minute before. I've lived aboveground for years; I know how things work up here. King or no, he will wait until my daughter has reached her majority." Atherton said storming back out of the room to face down his friend. They may have been of an age and been childhood friends, but even friendship came after being a father.

Jareth quirked an eyebrow as Atherton came storming back into the room. "Listen here you Libertine! My daughter will not be married one second before she is past her majority! This is not the dark ages anymore and even getting married at eighteen is scandalous enough! I'll not have her scandalized and that is final! You can bog me for all I care, friend, or no, she is my daughter!" Atherton growled and Jareth just raised his eyebrows.

"Finished barking at me?" Jareth asked as Sarah just sat there her jaw hanging in the vicinity of her chest.

"Not by a long shot. You had better tell me you have kept your hands to yourself too or so help me I'll cut off parts of you that you'd rather like to keep intact, I can still best you in a swordfight!" Atherton grumbled and Jareth held up his hands.

"She is wholly pure and untouched Papa. I am not so lecherous. She will remain a maiden until we are wed. I would not have her scandalized either damn you! I love her!" Jareth growled right back and Atherton visibly calmed.

"Good. But I remain firm on this Jareth. Not until her coming of age, which I am sure, is not long in coming." Atherton said turning to Sarah.

"When is your birthday love?" Atherton asked kneeling beside her.

"June the 23rd right after sundown so my mother said." She said and Atherton grinned.

"A midsummer's eve babe, a magic babe born on the eve of the solstice, when witches gather and the veils between worlds are thin. It is auspicious indeed. A fine day for a wedding too, I will condone a wedding no earlier young lady." Atherton said and Sarah smiled at him then looked over his shoulder at Jareth who was glaring daggers into his friend's back.

"I will not win this battle I suppose. The father's will supersedes even the King's when it comes to a daughter's betrothal. Damn it." Jareth grumbled and Sarah chuckled.

"It's not that long Jareth." Sarah said and Jareth frowned.

"It will seem an eternity actually. I will survive, unhappily chaste but such is the unfairness of life." Jareth said but did wink at Sarah to show he wasn't too terribly upset, at least not with her.

"You will live Jareth." Atherton said just as he noticed the bandages on Sarah's feet.

"Oh dear, what happened?" He asked concerned and Sarah paled.

"Frostbite, she's healing, she'll be fine. Miriam has seen to her." Jareth said, with a look that Atherton knew well. He'd get the details later when Sarah was no longer present. He knew to drop the subject from Jareth's look alone.

Atherton spied the globe sitting beside Jareth and laughed. "Where did you get that?" He asked and Jareth smiled glad of the change of subject.

"Your lovely daughter gave it to me for twelfth night." Jareth said and Atherton laughed.

"Well it is you and I was thinking of you when I sculpted it. Turn it over and look at the bottom." Atherton said and Jareth barked once in mirth. The both read _**"Master of the Labyrinth – Atherton Studios."**_

"I should have known I knew no mortal hand had done this. It was too bloody accurate." Jareth said and Atherton grinned.

"Who was it who dropped dead mice on me while I slept as children? Be glad BB guns had not been invented yet or else you'd have lost a few tail feathers." Atherton said and Jareth grinned.

"But you screamed so delightfully." Jareth replied and Sarah laughed.

"You were children together?" She asked and they both nodded and began to tell her tales of their misspent youths. By lunchtime her sides were aching with merriment.

"Oh, I cannot take anymore. You were both devils!" She said and Cyril wholeheartedly agreed.

"His mother and I earned every gray hair." He said and Atherton laughed.

"How is mum?" He asked and Cyril leveled a glare at him.

"Feisty as ever, angry that you hardly ever call on her and you know she refuses to come aboveground. The lack of magic makes her quite ill. You need to visit her boy." Cyril laid on the guilt thick and Atherton looked repentant.

"I know. I will, she'll adore Sarah. She never thought to be a grandmother as much as I never thought I'd ever be a father. Not found a wife myself yet and not for lack of looking for the right girl. But alas, not fallen in love yet, I thought I had actually with your mother. It was affection most assuredly, but when I found out she was already wed, and that I wasn't too terribly upset about it, I knew I was mistaken." Atherton sighed.

"How did you meet my mother?" Sarah asked curious.

"At a Shakespeare festival in the park, just a few miles from here, I was selling my pottery in the artist's market and she was acting as Perdita in 'A Winter's Tale'. It was September and the weather was rather nasty, cold, wet, and windy. I remember watching her valiantly try to act as if her hair was not flying into her face and her skirts weren't in permanent danger of flying up around her ears. I met her as she came off the stage with a cup of cocoa to warm her up and some consolations on the bad timing of an early winter. She was beautiful you look just like her." Atherton began, remembering another place and time.

"She was receptive to my outrageous flirting with her and for the next three weeks I was very happy. That was until Robert showed up at my shop and informed me that his wife would no longer be seeing me. I had no idea and I would have never taken up the affair had I known she was already wed. I am a knight and a man of honor. That was and is still a shame to me. However, I cannot help but also be overjoyed. Sarah, children are so rare and so precious to our kind. I never hoped to have a child of my own and I just cannot find it within me to be sorry that you are mine. Honor be damned." Atherton said and Sarah smiled and leaned over to hug his shoulders.

"It makes me happy too. I think my fath… Mr. Williams, always suspected and it just took him this long to agree to a paternity test at Karen's urging. My mother left us when I was ten and other than child support checks we never heard from her again. She died last year." Sarah said and Atherton nodded.

"I read that in the newspaper about her passing. I have so many regrets knowing what you have gone through. I hope to make amends. Starting with getting your birth certificate changed for starters and getting legal custody of you, I am not letting you set foot back in that house after what they have done." Atherton said, fighting the urge to track down Robert and put his fist into his face.

"Secondly, while I do not contest the betrothal, I also do not want to give temptation. Sarah will live with me Jareth and do not blow up at me; you know this is proper for a young lady. It will keep tongue- wagglers silent, in both the above and underground. She will not live with you here unmarried. My shop and my home are just a block from her High School it is convenient for her. You may come and call upon her all you wish, but she is sleeping under my roof." Atherton said and Jareth pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew Atherton was right, but damn the man for his unwanted moral direction.

"Alright, you win, again Atherton. I will however send some goblins to watch over her at all times for protection and your father and I will be calling upon her… frequently." Jareth said and Atherton nodded.

"She can go out only when her homework is finished. Do not wreck her grades. How are your grades dear?" Atherton asked and Sarah suddenly felt like a ping pong ball.

"I get straight A's. I never really had much of what you would call a social life." Sarah said and Atherton nodded.

"She keeps her A's Jareth, without your meddling or reordering time or you will be relegated to Friday night and Saturday's." Atherton said and Jareth growled.

"Now wait just a minute here! I will be there every evening at least to dine with her. I will not be denied her company. It's like severing a limb conceding this much to you, have a bloody heart man!" Jareth said and Atherton sighed.

"We'll work out the details. Now however it is lunchtime and I can hear your stomach rumbling from hunger. Jareth if you would be so kind as to feed her?" Atherton said just as if summoned Agnes came in rolling a cart in covered in a feast.

"Dinner you lot! I brought it in here instead of the dining room since the miss can't walk yet." Agnes began setting out the food on every available surface. Jareth had to practically wrestle Atherton for the privilege of fixing Sarah a plate.

Sarah just rolled her eyes. Her fiancé and father would drive her crazy before the day was out, she was as sure of that as she was sure her feet hurt and that she loved them both for being so dear and for proving they loved her. She had never dared hope that someone would love her, now she was surrounded by people who did truly love her. She felt high as a kite and happy and accepted for the first time in her life.

----------

Both Jareth and Atherton agreed that Sarah would stay with Jareth until she was given the all clear to walk. However, Atherton would also be an extended guest until his daughter was free to leave with him. One extra chaperone added to the mix and if she had thought Cyril overprotective, her father made her grandfather look positively progressive and liberal.

That was until Cyril's letter back to his wife, informing her she was a grandmother was received. Dinner was being served when an adamant knock came to the door. There in all her glory was the Lady Egberta Didymus. She was stunning and elegant and made even Jareth look like a ploughboy next to her regal distinguished beauty. She was a grand woman, tall, refined and for a woman as old as she was, looked divine. She rushed into the room as soon as the doors opened, her skirts trailing behind her in a rush of silks and satins. She was waving Cyril's letter in her hand and her eyes looked positively demented with barely suppressed joy. "Is this true? Tell me true husband!" She exclaimed and Cyril smiled and gestured toward Sarah.

"Aye my love. It is. Meet your granddaughter Sarah. Sarah, this is your Grandmother Egberta." Cyril said and Egberta squealed and came rushing over to where Sarah sat in her Chaise, bumping her son out of her way with her hip in the process. Sarah loved her immediately.

"Sarah! Oh finally I'm a grandmother. Boy!" Egberta turned to scowl at her son.

"Yes Mama?" Atherton asked, picking himself up off the floor.

"I'll expect an explanation from you later on how this came about, however, now is not the time. Go fetch Sarah and I tea and we'll have a chat. Shoo, now all of you, its woman's talk." Egberta commanded and even Jareth, dumbfounded at the invasion of his home complied.

"Now pet, first, you call me grandmama please. Second, Cyril told me most of your woes already in his last letter to me, so no need to go over past history poppet." Egberta grinned as she pinched Sarah's cheeks.

"Oh I could eat you up. Such a pretty thing, you have my eyes." Egberta noted, turning Sarah's chin with her hand to inspect her. "And my nose." She added with a wink.

Sarah just smiled from where she sat getting the once over from her Grandmother.

"I cannot stay long sweetness; the above ground will make me ill if I stay much longer than a few days. There is such a sad lack of magic here, but even so, I could not stay away, not all of Jareth's goblins could have kept me from meeting my beloved granddaughter. I despaired of ever having another lass in the family, now I have you. Oh dear me we have some catching up to do." Egberta was a whirlwind of chaos as Atherton came in with a tea tray and was summarily dismissed again from the parlor. Egberta poured tea as she settled down in a chair to face Sarah.

"Now then, since time is short, I will not beat around the bush my girl. I don't know how many times we'll be together before this rush wedding. Seven months is no time to plan a royal wedding at all! Goodness me! So we'll get right down to brass tacks. Things you should know and those louts will fail to tell you, being men." Egberta began and Sarah's brain derailed.

"Oh, if this is about, you know, the wedding night, I sort of, well… I kind of know what happens in theory." Sarah began blushing ripe as a strawberry.

"In theory love perhaps, and you're scared aren't you?" Egbert asked and Sarah truthfully nodded.

"Don't be honey. It's a wonderful thing and Jareth is not going to hurt you, well not more than a few minutes of discomfort really. It passes quickly. But that is only partly what I came to tell you. The Sidhe courts, both Seelie and UnSeelie will want to attend your bonding ceremony. They can be vipers, you hold your head up high and proud. We are Didymus' and we come from a long line of noble and honorable Sidhe. It matters not your mother was moral, and it matters not you were raised mortal. Jareth loves you, you will be his Queen, and they will show you respect. Do not let them mock you, you do not have to put up with it, show them you are proud my dear. We Didymus' never back down from a good fight when we are in the right." Egberta said with a wink and Sarah laughed. She knew all too well from her Grandfather, even if he had been posing as a fox at the time.

"And dear, no matter what anyone says, know this for certain, because I have known Jareth since he was a babe in arms. He has never, not once in his entire life, given his seed to any woman. Being a bastard himself, he swore as a child and kept to his vow, he would never create a bastard of his own. He may have had intimacy with other women, but never where he would have been compromised and sired a babe. There are women who would like to ensnare a king in such a manner and many who have tried and failed. You will have enemies of those women Sarah. They will be the worst of the rumor mongers and the vilest towards you. Jareth is very, very powerful. He is an entity on equal status with the High King of the Seelie Court and the High King of the UnSeelie. He is both and neither and stands as Arbitrator between the two. He has been overly sought as a husband and always he has waited for love. He loves you, never forget that, no matter what anyone says or does Sarah." Egberta said and Sarah looked shell shocked.

"He's waited all this time? Truly?" She asked and Egberta smiled.

"Not in the same sense as you have dear. He is no stranger to what happens on a wedding night dearest. He has had liaisons before and he, if reputation is accurate, is very well versed in how to please a woman. He has just never given his seed… within a lover. Do you understand?"

Sarah nodded, still rather embarrassed by the whole conversation she hadn't expected to have and on Christmas no less.

"Good. Like I said, he's a man and isn't likely to divulge that bit of useful knowledge on you. They have their pride, useless as it is really. But this knowledge will save misunderstandings later. There are women who are going to brag they bedded your husband first. They may have played with him a time or two, but what he gives to you will go beyond what they ever shared with him. He saved that for the one who holds his heart." Egberta said patting Sarah's cheek.

"Now then, I do hope you will let me help you plan your wedding dear. I'm so very excited and happy. It would honor me greatly if I could help." Egberta said and Sarah was misty all over again. She'd lost count the number of times her eyes had leaked today.

"I'd love it. Thank you so much. Everything is happening so fast. I feel dizzy." Sarah said and Egberta leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Aye love, I can understand. Jareth never does anything without causing major chaos in his wake. Be prepared for a lifetime of surprises and the unexpected." Egberta teased and Sarah smiled.

"I love surprises almost as much as I love him."

"Good, because you'll need to dearheart." Egberta cackled gaily and they simply chatted for a few minutes before Jareth barged back into the parlor.

"Chat time is finished. My parlor, my house, and I cannot believe I let you run me out of them you devious old shrew." Jareth harped but still leaned over to kiss Egberta's cheek.

"I love you too brat." Egberta simpered and Jareth bowed and returned to his chair followed by the rest of Sarah's suddenly expanded family.

Her real family, and the more she looked the more she could see herself in them all. She had her grandmother's and father's eyes and nose, she had Cyril's long fingers, she was tall like them too. Blood ties were evident. She had a family at last.

It was very late in the evening before everyone retired to bed and Jareth had to give a rather chaste goodnight kiss to his bride after he laid her in bed, under the watchful eye of all three of her guardians. Egberta insisting on sleeping with Sarah should she need anything in the night.

Jareth went to bed decidedly put out.

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The next few days were ordered chaos. Atherton was on the phone calling lawyers to petition an acknowledgment of paternity, requesting emergency paternity testing and a court injunction for temporary legal custody on the basis of neglect and abuse. Jareth had gone to Sarah's frigid house, there was ice hanging from the banister, he took pictures. He then raided Robert's desk and found the test results that proved he was not the biological father and made magical copies for Atherton's lawyer.

It was difficult and took some financial greasing of wheels to get the wheels of justice moving quickly between Christmas and the New Year, but by New Year's eve, and a visit to a hospital for a blood test, Atherton was declared with 99.99999% certainty he was the biological father, the evidence of abuse was filed, the pictures of a frozen house, the electric company confirming it was Robert who had called to shut off service until January 5th, and a sympathetic judge later and a court ordered temporary guardianship had been established. The court would serve Robert papers and a hearing before the judge on January 17th would establish Atherton's status as legal father and from there Sarah's birth certificate could be legally changed. It was a mess of red tape, but Sarah at least was safe from having to return to the Williams' home.

She was torn, she would miss Toby abominably, however, Jareth's assurances that Toby would seek her out of his own accord gave her peace of heart at least.

Sarah also discovered her new father was quite independently wealthy and dabbled in art just for the fun of it. He'd been living in the aboveground for many years and the stock market had been exceedingly kind to him, seeing as his talents were foreseeing and he played the market like Vivaldi played a violin.

"You cheat." Sarah scolded and he laughed.

"No my dear girl, I take advantage of my assets. I can see what's going to prosper and thus I prosper." He said with a wink. Sarah grumbled.

"You cheat." Jareth grinned but saluted him just the same.

Atherton grinned. "It never hurts to be comfortable financially when I wish to play in dirt. Clay and paint are expensive." Atherton replied as he leaned back in a chair and stretched.

"Very true." Jareth winked as he sat at the table to look over Atherton's growing stack of legal papers.

"So this is all set then?" He asked and Atherton nodded.

"As far as we can go until a court hearing yes, once we get the court ruling, we can legally change her name at school and on her birth certificate. She's a Didymus and she'll have our name damn it." Atherton said and Sarah smiled.

"That will cause a stir." Sarah said and Jareth laughed.

"That and the rock on your finger will poppet no doubt." Egberta said coming into the kitchen looking rather pale.

"Are you alright grandmama?" Sarah asked and Egberta beamed, she'd never get tired of hearing that name.

"Just drained love, I'll make the New Year celebration, but after that I must go home. I'll be fine then." She said patting Sarah's hair as she sat gracefully in a chair. Her silvery white hair neatly pinned up in a loose bun. Even first thing in the morning she looked elegant and gracious.

"How are your feet this morning love?" She asked in return and Sarah smiled.

"Much better, they only are tender now and Miriam says I can walk on them a little today. Just to get from one room to another before I should sit again, Jareth is still under orders to carry me up stairs for one more day." Sarah said and Jareth took her hand and kissed it.

"Never a chore love, you weigh naught." He said and Sarah melted into her shoes. He was such a romantic, egotistical, pigheaded joy.

"Once she can climb stairs, she goes home with me you realize." Atherton said and Jareth frowned. Wondering if he could bribe Miriam to say Sarah needed ten more days of being carried around.

"No bribing Miriam either Jareth." Atherton warned and Jareth pouted in his chair rather dramatically.

"I'm not going to be far Jareth. You can see me every day." Sarah tried to appease.

"See you, but no touching, no kissing, no decent wooing, just dinner. You be happy about it." Jareth continued to pout and Sarah leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"But I love you." He seemed to cheer just as dramatically.

"Keep saying that precious, I'll need constant reminders." He said and Sarah chuckled.

"Of course." She said moving to sit in his lap at the table. "I love you, I will always love you, and it's only a few more months."

"I know." Jareth sighed; he only hoped to make it without snapping from frustration until then.

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(to be continued…)

And here Yva J. you thought I'd marry her off at 17… oh ye of little faith… heh heh *tease* Plot twist ahoy!

Sorry for the delay, Thanksgiving is behind us, family and friends have gone home, I got some much needed SLEEP, and now we're back to ficcing.

Hope you enjoyed the curve ball, this chapter was really just establishing family, we can move on a little bit more rapidly here for a time, unless you really care about Sarah's chemistry homework. We're gonna hit highlight of her final few months of High School and such, but day to day routine would make this boring and unnecessarily LONG….

More as soon as I can,

Xoxo

Thank you all for your reviews, I'm so very honored and thankful.

~Fable


	9. Rumor Mills and Study Dates

**Chapter 9**

**Rumor Mills and Study Dates**

Atherton's home was a dreamer's dream come true, how she would have loved living here as a little girl in his converted Victorian row house. The front half of the first floor was the store front, and it was full of pottery and whimsical sculptures, gnomes and fairies and most of the items she loved in 'The Pixie's Garden' seemed to be supplied by her father. Every shelf and every surface was filled with dreams made from clay and ceramics. Sarah could sit in this shop for hours and never be bored just looking at her father's creations.

The back half of the main floor was Atherton's studio and work room "Where the magic happens." He said with a wink showing her his tables with various projects spread about in messy, organized anarchy. Shelf upon shelf with pieces in various stages of completion, supplies, and piles of glittery, bits and bobs. It was glorious and dusty and she could almost taste the magic in the air.

Between the front and back rooms and behind the store front partition was the staircase that led to the two upper floors. The first floor contained the living areas, a lovely kitchen, dining room and living room made up this floor. Each spacious and warm and inviting and absolutely nothing matched. Every piece of furniture looked either like her father had made it or had saved it from an antique shop or flea market. It was what Karen would have called 'Shabby Chic' and would positively detest. Sarah adored it! It was bohemian and filled with color and art and everywhere her eye landed there was something interesting to look at. Jareth frowned as he helped carry in some of Sarah's belongings from the Rolls. "I see you still have to throw up color on everything. You do not have to use the entire rainbow in the same room Atherton. You do have more than one." Jareth said and Atherton snorted.

"This coming from the man of the drab grey stone walls, with debris in the throne room, rushes that haven't had a decent sweeping in years, and livestock running around like it's a free-for-all leaving feathers and eggs everywhere. You Jareth are a detriment to bachelors both above and underground. You will clean up that pigsty BEFORE you move my daughter into it." Atherton said turning to head up another staircase to the third floor.

"My castle is not a sty! But I'll admit it could use a good cleaning. I have Goblins however, they are rather messy and brutal on a home." Jareth grumbled trailing behind Sarah who followed her father upstairs trying valiantly not to laugh.

"True. I'll concede that much. Here we are the bedrooms. Mine is the first on the right here sweetheart. There are two others up here, but only one has its own bathroom and I'm sure that is the one you'll want. The other has to use the hall water closet." Atherton said with a wink and Sarah just stopped in the doorway to drink in the splendor. It wasn't as elegant as her room at Jareth's, but this was far more quirky and fun and she wasn't afraid to touch anything in this room.

The bed was an old antique canopy that had been sanded and repainted white with grape vines painted all along the posts and the head and foot boards. A fluffy purple duvet covered the bed and a big, heart-shaped white faux fur pillow was tossed on top. A matching faux fur rug was on the floor and instead of curtains; hundreds of purple beads were strung in the window.

The walls were painted in alternating pale blue and purple stripes meeting a whitewashed wainscoting. The dresser, chest of drawers, and vanity were all mismatched, but also stripped and painted white. It was whimsical and charming and all together tacky and wondrous.

"Good god, this is atrocious! What is that furry thing on her bed?" Jareth asked and Atherton laughed.

"A pillow. Just because you my friend are stuck in a century long gone by, others like to mix our eras with panache and style. Speaking of which, Sarah cannot possibly wear the clothes you had for her to school. This is not the 1800's Jareth, not aboveground at least. She needs clothes to wear for school. The ones she has are threadbare and worse. There's a little boutique down the street that caters to girls her age. Let's get her outfitted properly." Atherton said and Jareth frowned.

"Properly would be in a dress and not these blue nightmare breeches you both are so fond of, but I agree she needs warmer clothes at least and a new coat. But I could just magic…" Jareth began and Atherton held up his hand.

"…Magic her some more clothes long out of style. For gowns in the underground you are a connoisseur with exquisite taste, for modern teenagers you are terrible my friend. Come on." Atherton said setting down Sarah's bags and leading them both downstairs and across the street.

After abusing his credit card with glee, they had several bags of new clothes for Sarah that even Jareth had to admit looked quite nice on his betrothed even if he did prefer her dressed more elegantly. They stopped briefly just to deposit the bags in the store front before heading a few houses down to the corner where a lovely tea shop was situated. They had lunch and were enjoying the day when a few of Sarah's peers entered and it wasn't long before they were obviously whispering and gossiping.

Sarah chose to ignore them; nothing was going to ruin her mood, especially not teenagers with nothing better to do than gossip. Jareth draped his arm over the back of her chair and leaned in. "Give them something to gossip about precious?" He asked in a purr and she laughed.

"I don't think they need the help. Really Jareth you're incorrigible." She nudged him back to his chair and he just smirked.

"No scandals Jareth." Atherton warned as the waitress brought their check and they headed back to Sarah's new home.

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Time seemed to fly, in no time at all they were celebrating the New Year as a small intimate family gathering and Sarah bid her waning grandmother a fond farewell. She was looking quite pale by the time she returned home. Jareth had planted a whopper of a kiss upon her at the stroke of midnight that even her Grandfather and Father didn't bother to interrupt, it being a special occasion. It was sublime and over far too soon and she was tucked safely into bed by one in her father's home.

It was back to school a few days later and she walked the block briskly that morning, happy and content. Her new coat was warm and it was just a short walk. Her classes resumed and everything was getting back into the new semester when she got in line at lunch for the first time in over a year with money in her pocket. No more free lunch line, she could actually have a decent meal, as far as school lunches went, and she was grateful.

"Sarah, what's with the new coat and money? You dealing drugs or something?" One jock asked and Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Of course not, my father bought me a new coat and gave me lunch money, same as yours." Sarah replied picking up a tray on her way toward the servers.

"We all know your dad ain't your dad. It's all over town. Marcie says she saw you day before new years with two older guys. One in an expensive suit hanging on you and the other is that weird artist guy. You turning tricks?" He asked lewdly and inside Jareth's home, the air was turning blue as he swore at the youth in his crystal.

"I most certainly am not! That weird artist guy is my father. My REAL father, thank you very much. The other is none of your business." Sarah replied angrily in a huff, turning to get her lunch.

"Oh touch a nerve did I? He your sugar daddy?" The jock asked waggling his eyebrows and Cyril could have sworn he heard crystal breaking in the King's Study.

"You are a vulgar cretin of a human being. Honestly, you have the manners of a troglodyte." Sarah said strode toward the cashier to pay for her meal, pointedly ignoring an indignant jock and Jareth laughed.

"That's my precious! Dress him down love!" Jareth cheered.

She however didn't have long to wait for the next annoyance of the afternoon to strike. Marcie, the one from the tea shop flopped down across from her at her table.

"Who was the sexy guy in the suit Sarah?" She asked and Sarah rolled her eyes.

"None of your business please leave me alone. I am trying to eat my lunch." Sarah replied and Marcie just chuckled.

"Oh no girlie, you ain't gettin' off that easy. Not with that massive rock on your finger which no high school kid or college kid could possibly afford, but I'm sure the guy in the Armani suit could. He was awfully possessive of you too. So who is he? Does your daddy know you're some older guy's trophy?" She asked and Sarah slammed down her fork and glared.

"Does everyone in this school have the maturity of a nest of vipers? My personal life is none of your business and yes, my father does know, he was sitting right there with us that afternoon. For goodness sakes, get your mind out of the gutter. Not everything is so banal and insipid! Good day to you." Sarah said picking up her tray and moving to a corner of the cafeteria to eat in peace.

They unfortunately followed her. "You tell us Sarah or we tell everyone your dirty little secrets." Marcie said and Sarah had taken all she was going to for the day.

"I do not have dirty little secrets. I have found my biological father, I have moved in with him and I am obviously engaged. You can speculate all you wish, you can make up whatever lies you wish, you'll do that anyway. My life is just that, mine, I am happy for the first time in years and there is absolutely nothing you can say or do that will change that. I will not allow it. So be my guest, spread whatever rumors your sadistic sad little hearts want to, the truth is stranger than any fiction you could possibly devise. Just grow up and go back to ignoring me like you have since Kindergarten and let me eat in peace." Sarah said turning her chair to face the wall and pointedly ignoring them for the rest of the lunch period.

By the end of the day, the school counselor was requesting her presence. "Oh bloody hell." Sarah grumbled and stomped off to defuse the rumor mill.

"Sarah, is it true you're pregnant dear?" the counselor asked and Sarah was struck dumb for a moment.

"WHAT? Of course not, that would be rather impossible without an immaculate conception seeing as I am still quite virginal!" Sarah said flopping into a chair across the desk.

"I thought the rumors strange. But you are wearing a ring, and well…"

"Since when does an engagement ring immediately constitute pregnancy? Just because I'm seventeen does not mean it's a shotgun wedding here! My fiancé is a perfect gentleman and respects me and we have agreed not to do anything until after the wedding. He's traditional and so am I." Sarah said and the counselor nodded.

"Who is he dear? Some boy in your class?" She asked and Sarah just looked at her with disdain.

"After these sorts of rumors are flying around do you think it was a fellow student? No. He is someone I met a few years ago and we've become reacquainted recently. Beyond that, I do believe it is no one else's business what I do or do not do outside of this school. My father chaperone's us and has given his consent to the marriage. Everything is above board and beyond reproach and I am sick to death already of the rumors and it's only the first day back to school.

"I can understand Sarah. Of all the girls here in this school, your maturity levels have always been above average. I do not doubt you have gone into this with a level head and heart. I'll try to dispel what I can, but I'm afraid rumors are vicious little things. I'll make sure the staff knows the truth so no trouble heads your way there at least."

"Thank you Ms. Parker. May I go now? I have lots of homework already and my father will worry if I'm late." Sarah said and Ms. Parker nodded and dismissed Sarah.

"He must be much older than you dear, I doubt very seriously you'd settle for a mere boy. But I have to make sure." Ms. Parker chuckled to herself as she picked up her purse and discretely followed Sarah.

She saw Sarah head to Atherton Studios and she was met outside by a tall and handsome man. "Hello love! How was school?" He asked giving her peck on the cheek.

"Fine Papa. The rumors are already starting however. Tell Jareth I'm upstairs when he gets here, I've already got loads of homework!" Sarah rolled her eyes as she went upstairs.

Ms. Parker did a double take. Since when was Atherton Didymus her father? She knew that Robert Williams had a paternity test done and it was a scandal the entire town knew about thanks to his wife. The snake. Ms. Parker detested her, so she thought she'd just come right on out and clear things up.

She walked into the shop and introduced herself as Sarah's counselor. Atherton seemed pleased to meet her and he was charming and answered all her questions. She felt much more at ease after their brief conversation when the bell rang again and a dapper and regal man with silvery blond hair and intriguing mismatched eyes walked in, stamping snow off his Italian leather shoes.

"Sarah's upstairs Jareth. Buried in homework she says." Atherton said and Jareth smiled.

"I thought as much. I'll see if I can help, Agnes is invading your kitchen for dinner." Jareth said as the crone followed him inside with Cyril and Jareth headed upstairs.

"You won't hear me complaining that someone else is cooking!" Atherton shouted up the stairs and then introduced Cyril to Ms. Parker as Sarah's grandfather.

By the time she left Meredith Parker was sure of three things. One, that Sarah was doing just fine and better than she ever had before. Two, her fiancé was apparently handsome, kind and stinking rich and according to Atherton, loved her to distraction. And three, her family was wonderful. Cyril was a delight and Atherton could charm honey out of bees without trying. She certainly was charmed right down to her cheap dime store pumps. They didn't make men like Atherton anymore. Men who loved their children and took responsibility, he didn't care that up until Christmas he had never even known he was a father, he was her father however and he was going to care of his little girl, even if she wasn't so little anymore.

Meredith snorted as she trudged to her car in the teacher's parking lot. Unlike her ex-husband who left her high and dry while she was in labor. Claiming it was a 'mistake' and 'he wasn't ready' and the next thing she knew there were divorce papers in the mail and he had moved back to England and could not be found for child support. Their daughter, Annabelle, was just about to turn three and Meredith was late to pick her up from daycare. How she wished a man like Atherton had been the father of her child instead of her disastrous marriage to Richard Parker. She sighed; good men just were too few and far between. She also had to step on it, she couldn't afford late charges for daycare, and she barely made enough to get by as it was.

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Jareth was curled up next to Sarah on her bed, an open book in front of them. "History is written by the victors. This is not how it happened." He said and Sarah glared at him.

"For the purposes of this paper, this is how it happened. You can tell me later the real facts Jareth, but for right now, I have to go by what is in this book. If you are going to grumble about facts you can go pester Papa. I need to write this paper without distractions." Sarah replied and Jareth chuckled.

"I get it love. I'll read you lies, you write. We'll get through this paper if it kills me with its inaccuracy." He said disgruntled.

"Thank you." Sarah replied as Jareth helped her with her homework with only minimal outbursts of incredulity.

Downstairs Cyril reclined in Atherton's decadent recliner and smirked at his son. "That young lass was swooning by the time she left boy." He said and Atherton chuckled.

"Well, I was putting on the charms Papa. She was pretty and concerned about Sarah. Any woman willing to stick her neck out for my girl is worth a second glance." Atherton said and Cyril nodded.

"Perhaps." Was Cyril's only comment either way on the matter.

------------

Things seemed to settle into a routine fairly quickly. While Sarah was a School, Jareth managed his own affairs and when completed, he'd head over to Atherton's to share dinner and 'study dates' with his betrothed. He was quite educated himself, but found not so much so on current affairs so he was learning right along with Sarah. He quite enjoyed it truth be told.

Robert Williams was served his summons and he and Karen both showed up to the hearing ready to contest guardianship when Atherton let his glamour slip for their eyes alone and presented them with copies of the photos of the powerless and frozen house. He threatened them right back with pressing charges of abuse if they dared contest his legal and legitimate claims.

Robert being a lawyer knew good evidence when he saw it and pleaded no contest and signed over his parental rights to Atherton. Sarah was legally Atherton's daughter on paper and on her birth certificate by the end of January. She tried to reach out an olive branch, wanting to part ways amicably and told her former father that regardless of circumstances she did love him too.

It ended in her tears as he just turned around and walked out of her life as if the past seventeen years had never happened. It was a bittersweet celebration that evening over a quiet dinner. Sarah sat watching Toby in her crystal that night hoping beyond hope she'd see him again soon.

----------

Meredith was a weekly visitor to Atherton's studio to check on Sarah's progress and Atherton was only too willing to invite her and her adorable daughter to dinner on Wednesday nights to discuss Sarah's education.

As Valentine's day rolled around and Sarah prepared to go out to dinner with Jareth, he had a romantic evening planned and he'd not allow either her father or grandfather to gainsay him. Promising he'd be honorable and have her home my midnight.

Atherton and Meredith went out on their very first date that Valentine's day as well. Cyril babysat Annabelle and told her stories about fair maidens and labyrinths and goblins. She was thrilled and was content and sleeping in his lap when Meredith and Atherton arrived home later that evening, beyond smitten with each other.

Jareth had taken Sarah to a very posh restaurant in town, having already eaten prior; he always wondered how Atherton managed to eat mundane mortal food without becoming ill. He supposed it had to do with the level of magic one possessed. The higher the ability the less tolerance for mortal victuals, he could only surmise, but it was as good as explanation as anything. He picked at his meal and just gazed at the beauty across from him. She was stunning and vibrant and full of passion and fire again. This was the Sarah he had fallen in love with, she was no longer a broken shell of a girl, but a queen.

Not even the arrival of Karen and Robert to the same restaurant could dampen her mood that night. She was with her beloved, having a wonderful dinner in a candlelit room. A dozen red roses were sitting beside her in a chair and around her neck was a delicate golden chain, a pendant that was a miniature copy of his own badge of office pendant hung delicately between her breasts. It was fit for his Queen; he reached over to squeeze her hand. "Happy Precious?" He asked and Sarah beamed at him.

"Always with you. I love you, thank you for everything." She said and he just lifted her hand to kiss her fingers.

"Your love is thanks enough." He said, collecting the check and taking her then to yet another dance being held at City Hall. This one was not a masquerade, but simply a romantic evening. They danced, he sang to her softly in her ear as they swayed to one ballad after another and Sarah sighed dreamily in his arms. It was a perfect Valentine's day even if she could see Marcie dancing just a few feet away, Sarah didn't care. Those that needed to know the truth knew the truth. Meredith was wonderful and her father seemed to like her guidance counselor so she had an ally at school defending her.

Let Marcie see Jareth, Sarah didn't care one iota. She was far too content to worry about stupid rumors and childish pettiness and jealousy. Jareth chuckled. "You are decidedly being stared at precious. That Marcie that gives you grief is here." He said and Sarah shook her head.

"Not tonight Jareth. I saw her and I don't care. She can't cause me or you harm. I'm not letting her ruin my night alone with you." Sarah said and Jareth grinned.

"I like the sound of that precious, alone at last." He said before kissing her senseless under the mirror ball lighting.

It was a night to remember and they were only late getting her home by five minutes. Atherton was too busy to notice and Annabelle was sleeping in the second bedroom upstairs when Sarah tiptoed upstairs. She smiled and tucked in the tot who had kicked off her covers and crept to her room.

It seemed her father really, REALLY, liked Meredith. Sarah was happy for him; she liked Meredith too and just adored Annabelle. She reminded her of Toby, they were both three and full of boundless joy and life.

----------

(to be continued…)

Short chapter, just transition…. And a new mother-type figure appears. Sarah's world is falling into place at last. More coming soon.


	10. Of Truth and Consequences

**Chapter 10**

**Of Truth and Consequences**

By March the secret was shared. Meredith knew Atherton was Sidhe and that Jareth was the Goblin King. She knew because Atherton had been honest and told her because he loved her and she needed to know the truth. Sarah showed Meredith the book she had read that triggered her memories and Meredith had understood what Atherton's confessions of love truly meant. At first she was shocked, then came a few days of denial and then acceptance followed by joy. To be loved by a man who could fall in love only once was a rather heavy revelation but also a dream come true. It was what she had wished for and Annabelle just adored Atherton and the feelings were mutual.

They had gone down to the courthouse on Wednesday and were legally married by the judge. Just his parents, Sarah and Jareth and Annabelle had been present. Her parents had passed away years earlier. They didn't need a big ceremony; they just wanted the paper that proclaimed they were legally married. Egberta wasn't happy about it, and made them promise to retake vows in the underground properly later, they agreed and Egberta was appeased. The timing was also perfect, the lease was up on her cramped little one bedroom apartment and Atherton was insistent she move in immediately, she wasn't going to live with him unmarried, he had already proposed just a week after their first date, at the same time he had told her everything about himself, hence the rush wedding. He had made her ring with Jareth's assistance and it was beautiful. He had drawn it, provided the rough materials and gems and with Jareth's magic, she had a one of a kind sidhe crafted wedding ring. So she didn't mind at all at the rush and less than memorable ceremony, she had 'a keeper' and he was wonderful and was going to be a wonderful father for Annabelle.

They were now moving in on a permanent basis and boxes were being brought in by moving men and Atherton had Annabelle on his shoulders to keep her up and out of the way from under feet, he was already talking about adopting Annabelle legally as his own. He did after all, just go through it with his own daughter, this was going to be easier, Annabelle's father never signed her birth certificate and because she had been furious at him for dumping her in the hospital room while giving birth, Meredith refused to give them the father's name. Adopting Annabelle was going to be easier than what Atherton had gone through to get his own biological daughter declared his own legally. Ironic as it was. Atherton took to fatherhood like a fish to water and he glowed from happiness.

"If her own worthless father can't be bothered to treasure her, I certainly will. Children are precious treasures." He had said leaning over to kiss Sarah's brow as she trudged by with a box.

"Love you too Papa." Sarah winked as she headed for the stairs thrilled. She was happy, her family was happy and thriving, and having a little one under foot again was a joy. Annabelle just worshipped the ground Atherton walked on, and looked to Sarah like a paragon of all wisdom. Jareth was her favorite playmate with his shiny balls he could do neat things to with his hands and his talking stuffed toys, which were in fact Goblins. She was three and adorable and infectious. If you stayed in a foul mood while in the little darling's presence something was wrong with you. Her only regret was Toby; she hadn't seen him since before Christmas and missed him with an ache in her very soul. He could have been Annabelle's Twin, they were both blond, and blue eyed and utterly toothache inducing cute. They even shared a birthday. Sarah mused as she set some of Annabelle's toys in her new room.

Even Jareth was lending a hand, complaining about manual labor but still schlepping just the same. Cyril was helping Agnes make sandwiches for lunch, a variety of meats and cheeses for the adults and Cyril was making the peanut butter and jelly, with the crusts cut off and cut into four little triangles for his newest little granddaughter. She was quite particular in wanting her peanut butter creamy, her jelly of the fruit of the vine and everything cut in perfect triangles sans the 'icky crust'. Along with her sandwich were to be six, not five, not seven, but six carrot chips. He chuckled, children had such quirky gastric demands, and he complied with glee.

It was a beautiful day out, the snow was melting, and it was unseasonably warm for the first weekend in March. Spring was coming early and everyone ate outside amidst boxes before going back to work. They only had the weekend before both Sarah and Meredith had to be back to school. Spring break wasn't for another three weeks.

----------

Across the street at the beauty parlor an unlikely observer sat glaring and listening to the gossip in the shop. "Looks like Atherton got himself a new wife and another daughter recently. I heard they went down to the courthouse a few days back and made it official. Nothing fancy, just before the judge. I met the older girl Sarah. Nice and such a pretty thing and oh so sweet, she came in for a trim with her fiancé a few weeks back. Oh he was funny, making sure I didn't cut off too much. Men, they all have hair fetishes." One beautician said and the other laughed.

"I remember the British guy in the Armani. Damn he was hot stuff, I'd not cut my hair either if my rich ass boyfriend liked it. He seemed a little old for her, but hell the girl is smart, if he likes 'em young I'd have been first in line too." The other cackled when a third piped in.

"He drives that Rolls Royce always parked across the street, his chauffer I think is Atherton's dad. I wonder how he met Sarah, it seems odd to me a guy that rich and that insanely HOT put that big rock on a mere girl's hand. No matter how adorable I think Sarah is, it does not add up." The third said as she rolled red hair into curlers.

"Oh Sarah and that Jareth guy told me, they met a couple of years ago, just briefly and apparently she made an unknown impression on him, he tracked her down when she was a little less shall we say 'jail-bait'. He's actually a perfect gentleman, waiting for Sarah to be eighteen. They only meet under her father's supervision until the wedding. It's terribly old fashioned but really romantic." A fourth said and the red-headed customer asked a question.

"He's rich? What does he do?" She asked and her hairdresser shrugged.

"I don't know, but he drives a classic Rolls Royce Phantom III series, pre-war issue. One that was not made available to the public but was specially built for royalty and officials of state. That car cost him easily a million these days in that sort of condition. I know because my husband left face marks on our shop window the other day when he came to pick me up. He's such a car buff and he was having a cargasm only the truly enthusiastic of classic car nerds can have without looking like they're having seizures. That Jareth fellow let him take a look under the hood before he went inside for Sarah. So whatever he does for a living, he makes a bundle or he's some sort of big shot with royal connections or he is a royal. Commoners cannot get those cars, the blood has got to spurt bluer than blue." The lady said and her customer's eyebrows rose.

"Really? How interesting." She commented, thinking long and hard.

"Have you seen his place? He's totally restored that old Millingford Manor Estate back on the east end just outside of town. It looks like its brand new and it's huge! We drove past it the other day, it looks like a castle sitting there, and it hasn't looked like that in fifty years. The place must have a hundred rooms in it, built in the days of grand old money. It's nice to see that place back in its former glory again. I can only imagine how much money it took to rebuild that place."

The conversation continued, but the redhead was no longer listening. Now Karen Williams was smart, she hadn't married the most eligible lawyer in town because she didn't know the rungs of the social ladder intimately. Love had absolutely nothing to do with her marriage and everything to do with being at the top of the social elite. It appeared her former step-daughter was catching an ever bigger fish to fry and Karen was not at the top for nothing and she certainly wasn't going to stand by and let that slip of a girl marry royalty without being connected to it and benefitting from the association. The only trouble was she had totally burned that bridge. Trying to insinuate herself into Sarah's life like nothing had happened between them was going to take careful planning and one massive and fake apology.

Karen shivered, she never apologized, and she certainly would not mean this one when she forced it out of her lips. It would have to be another day however. Also since Sarah's departure, she'd had to take the little brat to day care and she was going to be late picking him up as it was. She'd only had Toby to forever tie herself to Robert's money. Toby was the ticket to the cash. Even if they divorced, she'd have alimony and child support. He certainly was not what she would have chosen if Robert hadn't begged. The brat cried all the time for Sarah, acted obnoxious and rude and was altogether too much trouble. She was sorely tempted on more than one occasion to drop him down a well or like Sarah's stupid little book she used to read all the time, wish him away to the Goblins.

She left the beauty parlor, her mind devising plans, as she picked up a sulking Toby and drove home. She couldn't ask Sarah to babysit again; Robert wouldn't stand for that either. He wanted nothing to do with her any longer. The bitter bastard, he was a chore to live with. If he weren't well off and respected in the community, Karen would be packing her bags and would be chasing the new Neurosurgeon that had moved into town. She sent Toby to his room so she could think in peace.

------------

Spring break rolled around and for a week everyone went underground. If Meredith had doubts before, she was under no delusions now. The Castle beyond the Goblin City was in sad need of a woman's touch just as Atherton had warned her, but it was sublime. The gardens, the goblins, the labyrinth, everything was a feast for the senses. Sarah was overjoyed to see Ludo again and after many hugs and assuring Meredith he was 'safe', Annabelle was hoisted on his shoulders for a ride on the 'big fluffy cow'.

Jareth was always delighted with children. Annabelle was no exception. Children could make even large, scary looking monsters into seemingly unbelievable and creative comparisons that were infinitely amusing. The only thing even remotely resembling a 'cow' on Ludo would have been his ox like horns, leave it to a child to make only that one single common trait into an explanation.

As a family everyone decided that once the wedding was over, Atherton would move his ladies back to the palace and help take over some of his father's duties. Meredith and Annabelle needed to spend a good amount of time underground and let the magic 'change' them with Jareth's assistance. He wasn't about to lose them, and if they remained mortal, their time would be short indeed. Living underground, mortals would undergo a transformation and Jareth was the only Sidhe with the power to make changelings from adults. Sarah would need no aide, the longer she spent in the underground, her sidhe blood would surface on its own and 'burn away' for lack of a better reference her mortality.

During spring break, invitations to the Royal Wedding were sent out, informing the gentry and all and sundry that the wedding would in fact be taking place in a tesseract of space. Those coming from Above would come to Sarah's park and be ushered into the dimensional room via a tent erected in the park, those coming from underground would converge in a similar tent erected in the garden's of the castle. It would be tricky but would accommodate friends and relatives living in both planes of existence to attend and for the mortals unaware of the sidhe they would believe they were simply seated in the park under a tent never realizing they were out of space and time for the duration of the ceremony and reception gala.

The tesseract would also have glamour spells placed upon it for those who did not know about the sidhe or the underground, they would only see other humans. Jareth frankly didn't trust his father not showing up as anything other than his glorious sidhe self, he never used glamour spells and Jareth didn't need fainting mortals at his wedding. High King Oberon of the Seelie Court was a vain bastard that made Jareth look positively humble.

The invitations sent to mortals or sidhe living in the above had instructions that it was a formal affair and evening attire was required. That was a failsafe, the sidhe never went to a Royal luncheon without dressing to impress let alone a Royal wedding, there were going to be yards and yards of silk in the dresses alone and there was no need for mortal women to feel underdressed so instructions were detailed.

"Jareth, I don't have anyone to invite from my side other than my father and Meredith and they are already well aware you're a Sidhe. I don't see why you're going through all this trouble." Sarah said as Jareth explained what was happening.

"Sarah, love. I am being a vindictive git and enjoying myself. In your local newspaper today there is our engagement announcement. I specifically timed it so it would print while we were otherwise unreachable. I made sure a copy was personally delivered to your former step-mother's doorstep. At this very moment she is reading that one Miss Sarah Elizabeth Didymous, formerly Williams, is hereto engaged to be married on the evening of June 23rd to His Lordship, Jareth G. King. I did play down my lineage slightly, gave a list of not so false credentials and pedigrees however that are at this very moment making her seethe in absolutely jealousy. At one time I was indeed also titled in the above; my castle still stands actually in Wales in a place where people still believe. There I am still called, 'r Choblyn Brenin, which is really just Welsh for the Goblin King. My castle is called 'Balas chan Gwyllt Hud' The palace of Wild Magic. I'll take you there sometime, perhaps for our honeymoon. I doubt your former step-mother will take the time to translate the Welsh in my pedigree. Those however who do read Welsh however will more than likely steer clear of the park that day. I doubt many in your small hamlet read Welsh." Jareth grinned with a wicked glint in his eye.

"You didn't!" Sarah gasped and Jareth nodded.

"I most certainly did. I am going to make the woman positively choke on her own avarice. It's high time she learned that her actions and deeds have consequences and I am just the bastard to do it, because I will enjoy it immensely. There is also an invitation sent, specifically asking she attend, with your little brother. I have sent a letter requesting he be allowed to be our ring bearer. She will agree she has been plotting on trying to find a way back into your life for a few weeks now. She wants to climb her social ladder, she feared she burned a bridge and I gave her a rope and I intend to give her just enough rope to hang herself with." Jareth said flopping into his chair with a flourish and Sarah glared at him.

"That's cruel. As much as I would love Toby there, I don't want to use our wedding for a joke or some sort of revenge tactic Jareth." Sarah said and Jareth just smiled.

"This is not a joke Sarah and believe me I will not tighten the noose on the day of our nuptials. That is just the opening of the door. Trust me Sarah, she will hang herself I am just allowing her the opportunity in which to do so." Jareth said and Sarah sighed.

"I hope so and it's not that I don't trust you Jareth. I just don't want her ruining our day." Sarah said and Jareth pulled her into his lap.

"Love, I won't allow it, 'm anwylyd Banon at bod" Jareth purred and Sarah smiled.

"Was that more Welsh?" She asked and he nodded.

"What did you say?" She prompted for translation and he grinned.

"I called you 'My beloved Queen to be.' Mio beneamato Regina verso essere." Jareth said switching to repeat his translation in Italian.

"Okay, I know that was Italian, but unless you want pizza or pasta, that's about as much Italian as I know. How many languages do you speak Jareth?" Sarah asked and he waggled his eyebrows.

"All of them, including some very long gone and dead ones too. If we ever get bored being King and Queen, I could go and make us a living reading Dead Sea scrolls and the like." Jareth said with a wink and Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Sometimes, I'm sorry I ask you questions. Old man." She teased and Jareth laughed.

"I'll show you old little girl." Jareth said twisting so she fell backwards further into his arms where he then proceeded to kiss her senseless.

"Okay, you still have some spark." Sarah teased when he let her up for air.

"Indeed." Jareth chuckled as Egberta entered the room, and swept Sarah away for more wedding plans. Jareth grumbled. Even on Vacation, he had to steal time with her.

The wedding in his opinion could not come fast enough.

-----------

Karen sat in her fluffy pink bathrobe over coffee Sunday morning and picked up the paper. She always turned to the society and community pages first to see where and who and what of the day. A large photo of Sarah and the extremely handsome blond gentlemen was prominently featured in the announcements section. _**"Local Girl in a Fairy Tale Come True"**_ was the header under the picture preceding the engagement announcement.

Karen's eyes were as wide as saucers as she read the announcement.

_**Miss Sarah Elizabeth Didymous, formerly Williams, age seventeen, daughter of Atherton Didymous and the late actress, Linda Williams a local girl and senior at James G. Harding High School and His Lordship, Jareth G. King, 'r Choblyn Brenin of Balas chan Gwyllt Hud from near Harlech, Wales, age twenty-nine, have announced their engagement. Every little girl dreams to grow up and be swept off her feet by Prince Charming. It seems that fairy tales can come true. They met while the groom to be was here on business and he states, **__"I found my heart and soul and will not leave without her as my bride. A love like this comes but once in a lifetime. She is everything and without her my soul would be bereft. I first met her in the park, dressed as a princess and she astounded me, she spoke and her intellect intrigued me, she smiled and the sun paled, she proved she can beat me at my own games, and she has faced dangers untold and hardships unnumbered with bravery and courage. I vowed one day she would be a Queen to this King and I am eternally grateful she agreed with me and consented to plight her troth me."__** They will be married at seven in the evening on June 23**__**rd**__** in Evergreen Memorial Park, near the monolith where they first met, on the Bride's eighteenth birthday. The Wedding is by invitation only.**_

"Oh. My. God!" Karen gasped aloud, the little baggage was going to marry an aristocrat with a title! All the rumors she'd been hearing were true. How had she managed it? How was Karen going to get an invitation to the wedding? This was going to be the social event of the century! She was ruminating and calculating when Toby wandered in, saw the picture and squealed.

"That's the magic guy and Sarah!" Toby said scrambling up on a chair for a better look.

"Magic guy?" Karen asked wondering how Toby of all people knew Lord King.

"Yeah, he looks different here though. When he 'poofed' he looked like a Prince out of the fairy book Sarah gave me. His hair was all poofy too, not like that." Toby said and Karen frowned.

"What do you mean by 'poofed'?" She asked and Toby looked at her was if she were as dense as a brick.

"You know, POOF! Magic. He just 'poofed'." Toby said rolling his eyes and Karen groaned. Dealing with an almost four year old was maddening.

"Sarah." Toby sighed touching her face in the photo. He missed her so much and mommy wouldn't let him see her anymore.

Just then there was a knock at the door and Karen answered it and stood there dumb as the man with the eye-patch that drove the Lord's car stood there. "Madam, I come bearing a letter." He said, handing Karen the envelope before bowing and turning to leave without another word.

It was a heavy parchment with a wax seal. The imprint in the sealing wax was a strange inverted set of horns with a curious Celtic knot in the center. The script was elegant on the outside. Curious, Karen shut the door and sat down to carefully open the letter.

Inside was the coveted Invitation to the wedding, Karen squealed. The gold filigree on cream parchment was decadent and lush, the invitations must have cost a small fortune. Tucked inside the envelope was also a letter, the stationary of the finest linen with gilded edges and the handwriting was as elegant as on the envelope. It Read:

_**Dear Mr. & Mrs. Williams,**_

_**While I do understand the delicacy of the situation between yourselves and my intended bride, I would like to formally request a humble favor of extreme importance. These past few months have seen a great sorrow in her life at the loss of her relationship with young Tobias. We would be most honored if differences could be set aside and have the young master in our wedding entourage as our ring-bearer. It would bring great joy to my bride to have him near and a part of her wedding day, her love for him is most sincere.**_

_**I will await your response to my request.**_

_**With Regard,**_

_**Lord Jareth G. King**_, _**'r Choblyn Brenin of Balas chan Gwyllt Hud**_

There was a reply envelope enclosed already addressed to his estate in town. Karen's hands were almost shaking, Robert would have a fit but she did not care. Her ticket was the brat! She wouldn't even have to apologize, just show up with the brat to the rehearsal and the wedding. Oh Karen was practically giddy. She ran upstairs; Robert was still in bed while she dressed. She told Toby to behave until Daddy got up and she ran straight to the mall. She had to buy the best stationary to respond. You did not send a Lord a reply on a post-it note. While she was there, looking for a gown would be also on her list of priorities. Robert could suck it up, come along or stay at home. She was not going to miss the chance to attend this social extravaganza.

-------

When Sarah returned to school the following Monday after having spent a wonderful spring break Underground, the first thing she found was the newspaper article taped to the front of her locker and Marcie standing there looking smug.

"Nice lie Sarah. That is so not true." She said and Sarah, sighed, removed the article and tucked it inside her locker.

"Marcie, will you just give it a rest already? Honestly, your pettiness is just getting ridiculous now. Why on earth does it matter to you at all who my fiancé is or what he is? Can't you just leave Jareth and I alone? Is your life so empty you have to pick apart others?" Sarah said, getting her books together for her first class of the day.

"Oh no you don't Sarah, do not get all high and mighty. No high school girl gets a guy like that without putting out or being preggers. I bet the cops would like to hear about your man and how you are jail bait. That's called statutory rape ya know, even if the girl spreads her legs willingly." Marcie sneered and Sarah had had, enough. She slammed her locker, turned and used her superior height to advance and leer over Marcie. Having a Goblin King as a supreme example of how to intimidate with sheer presence alone, she did her best impersonation.

"Listen here right now and do not forget. You are messing with the wrong girl, you have no IDEA what you are getting yourself into little girl. You are out of your league Marcie, not only would you be purgering yourself to the authorities, which holds substantial legal penalties that I will pursue should you dare, my husband to be is more powerful than you can dare hope to comprehend. I am through humoring you. By all means if you want to insure I make the rest of your life miserable, and I do have that power at my intimate disposal, keep pushing my buttons. I have been generous with you up until now, I can be very, very cruel. Don't tempt me further, do you understand?" Sarah said her eyes flashing and Marcie shivered. She was all talk and no one ever confronted her back, not like Sarah was doing.

Perhaps the article was true, which meant that Jareth really was a lord and people like that got away with murder and worse. Marcie just nodded and Sarah took a step back from hovering over her.

"Good, I do not want to hear another word from you, not another rumor, not another scribble on a bathroom wall or else you will be very sorry." Sarah said turning on her heels and heading to class, head held high like a queen just as the bell rang.

"Now, That's my Queen!" Jareth chortled, watching Sarah in his crystal regally swagger away doing her best Jareth impersonation. She was going to make one hell of a queen indeed.

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To Be Continued….

OMG, first I have to apologize for taking so LONG on this very short transitional chapter. Real life has been FULL. Putting up Christmas decorations, inside and FIVE TIMES outside _(I am so frustrated with strands of lights that go out in the MIDDLE and you have to re-string EVERYTHING just to change that one strand! GRAH!)_ and then I had to change the outside electrical socket, because that was what was blowing out my lights! Then getting shopping done, getting to a dozen follow-up doctor appointments _(I was in ICU back over Halloween and in the Hospital over a week so I had to get to all my follow-ups…)_, The garage door opener broke and had to get that fixed, _(Still waiting on parts for THAT…)_ Then came the problems WITH my computer, do NOT BUY DELL THEY SUCK! Upgrading to Windows 7 from their piece of crap disk they sent was a chore, until I finally gave up on their tech support and did everything manually MYSELF and it worked at last… then there was a million other mundane life annoyances that kept me off the computer. So I am sorry for the delays. Perhaps I'll be more timely after the holidays, I'm hoping at least. Oh the joys of being a grown-up, oh to have my own Goblin King to magically sort out life's problems. *grin* If you wish to keep track of my status, see progress reports and such you can always follow me on twitter (user name also fablespinner) or on my livejournal: fablespinner(dot)livejournal(dot)com.

_**Reviews are always welcome, they just make my day and everyone has been exceedingly **__**WONDERFUL**__** about leaving reviews. *KISSES and HUGS to YOU ALL!!!!!!*XOXOXOXOXOXOXO**_


	11. Temporary Delay Notice

To my WONDERFUL READERS...

I have not abandoned this story, I just have been unfortunately incredibly busy with some real life woes, a brand new computer already dying (my computer BSODs every five freaking minutes and I've been dealing with DELL non-stop for WEEKS to get them to fix this P.O.S. computer I bought from them in September.) and for the past two plus weeks I've also been very, very sick again and I've just not had time to write as I've wished.

I promise to finish this tale as soon as I can, I won't leave you languishing forever mid-story I vow. I just wanted to drop a quick note to let everyone know I'm sorry and to touch base and reassure everyone the story is not dead, just delayed by the boogey man known as real life.

- Fable

Addendum 02/15/10 - I want to continue to THANK YOU ALL for your continuing patience in the matter of my blasted computer problems. If you're interested in the DELL NIGHTMARE from the 9th layer of DHELL follow my livejournal (link in my profile) for the updates. I am hoping to have my computer fixed and running for more than 15 minutes at a time without a BSOD soon, or else I'm taking this to my business attorney, it's that bad a situation. Which is why I'm not writing, I dare not, my computer bluescreens when I try to do anything other than open firefox and even that I get about fifteen minutes of surfing time before *BLAM* BSOD. (Blue Screen of Death.) It's infuriating, this computer has not worked right since they day I turned it on and it's gotten worse over the last 5 months with Dell doing NOTHING and the absolute nightmare of DELL customer service is such I would offer you my own kidney if you promised me never to invest your hard earned money into one of their craptaular laptop shaped paperweights.

I promise and vow once I have a system that is SAFE, I will finish this tale for all you lovely, wonderful people! It's all here *taps head* I just gotta get it down. I got a few other tales brewing in the wings that want attention too and I want to write them already.

XOXOXO

Fable

UPDATE: 12/1/2011

I know it's been ages since this story was updated... I am very truly sorry but I want to assure you the story is not dead and I have every intention to complete this.

I just had a pretty bad last couple of years. The Computer issues are no more, I have a new laptop. Never buy DELL. But... I spent most of 2010 in the hospital, I've had several surgeries and my health just took a nosedive. I'm stable now but on a lot of medication (I take 26 pills and 2 injections daily) that leaves me in a mental fog most of the time. It makes it difficult to concentrate to write. I'm as frustrated as you are that this fic is languishing in my TO DO pile.

So I'm so sorry and want to beg your indulgence to bear with me I promise this *WILL* be finished I just cannot give you a time frame as to when, as much as I would like to.

Forgive me for the contined wait...

xoxox

Fable 


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